The two fields, numbered 127 and 128, near Pontorson Lane, were put forward by architect Nick Socrates on behalf of the landowner as a possible site for up to 46 three-bedroom houses or 61 two-bedroom units.
Addressing an independent inspector’s public examination of the Draft Bridging Island Plan last week, Mr Socrates referred to talks with the owners of houses on an adjacent estate, ‘none of which have an objection to development in those fields’.
The comments have sparked a complaint by a group of nine people living in Le Pont Close.
Toby Rankin, the lead signatory for the complaint letter, said the remark by Mr Socrates was ‘categorically untruthful’, adding: ‘We’d like to confirm that neither myself, nor the owners of the properties listed below [in Le Pont Close] have been consulted whatsoever regarding these proposals.
‘On the contrary… we would like to make it very clear that we thoroughly object to any form of construction on fields C127 and C128.’
The complaint drew a swift apology from Mr Socrates, who said that the comment made to the inspector had been made in good faith as a result of conversations between the landowner and two householders.
‘We regret that our spontaneous comment gave the impression of overstating the situation – this was not our intention,’ he said in a letter to the complainants which was also copied to the inspector.
Speaking to the JEP, Mr Socrates said he wanted to clarify the situation to the inspector, but added that his client still believed the site was a suitable one for housing.
‘In this whole Island Plan process there will be fields which are rezoned and people may be unhappy – it’s a question of finding that fine balance between the need for housing and keeping everyone happy,’ he said.
Mr Socrates added that the two fields in question were of low agricultural merit and had not been used for farming for a long time.
In an accompanying letter to their complaint, Mr Rankin’s group said they objected strongly to any proposed development, saying that St Clement, the Island’s smallest parish, was already overpopulated and ‘in danger of becoming a concrete jungle’.
The residents said increased traffic and dangerous access onto main roads were two of their strongest objections and that local schools were already at their capacity.
The public examination is set to resume for its second and final week on Monday 27 November, after which the inspector will produce a report ahead of a States debate on the Island Plan scheduled for March 2022.
