Marcus Troy, who was elected at a by-election in July, said he was disappointed to learn via media reports that three fields in his parish had been included within the Draft Bridging Island Plan as the potential site for up to 76 houses.
He said: ‘I received several calls from people who thought I would have known about this, but I had to tell them that I didn’t.
‘I arranged to meet a few people and 36 people turned up – they were baying for blood.’
The three fields off Samarès Lane include two that Mr Troy said were used for growing Jersey Royals.
He said: ‘It used to be the golden rule that prime agricultural land was retained for that use and would not be developed.’
Mr Troy said he was prevented from giving voice to the concerns of parishioners during last week’s visit by an independent inspector.
The public examination by the inspector also provided an opportunity for other possible sites to be put forward, and Mr Troy said that three other fields near Pontorson Lane were now also being considered.
Mr Troy is now seeking to convene a parish assembly so that residents can express their views.
Among those likely to attend the assembly are Simon and Louise Wilson, who fear that they could be forced to leave the house on St Clement’s Coast Road, near to Rue de Samarès, where they have lived for 14 years.
Mr Wilson said the entrance to any development at Rue de Samarès was likely to be next to his house, where the existing five-metre space would not be wide enough.
‘We heard about this through media and by tuning into the public hearing online after we were told we shouldn’t attend in person,’ he said. ‘Now we believe that we could lose our home and we feel completely let down by the planning process, and by the Environment Minister in particular.’
Mr Wilson said that he believed many parishioners felt strongly that the infrastructure in St Clement, including roads, schools and utilities, would not be able to cope with a further influx of people.
The inspector’s public examination is scheduled to resume for its second and final week on Monday 29 November, after which a report will be submitted to the minister ahead of the debate into the Bridging Island Plan scheduled for March.
