But at yesterday’s(THURS) Planning Committee meeting a number of local residents spoke out strongly against the proposal.
The plans, from the National Trust for Jersey, are to turn the farmhouse at Morel Farm in St Lawrence into a four-bedroom holiday unit, and to convert an outbuilding known as ‘the chapel’ into a one-bedroom unit.
Not all trust members are in favour of it and at this year’s annual general meeting opponents put forward a motion to remove the charity’s entire board over the plans, but this proved unsuccessful.
The Planning Committee was told that there would be few external changes to the buildings other than essential repairs.
Planning officers advised the committee to back the scheme, but members of the public spoke of their concerns about traffic and the loss of a potential family home or small-scale farming opportunity.
Former parish Constable Geoffrey Fisher, who has lived in the area for 50 years, asked: ‘Is there demand for such a unit to be a smallholding? If Morel Farm is used for tourism it will generate a certain amount of money. But I am reliably informed that Miss Morel was adamant that
its future should remain in agriculture.
‘Somebody may be able to take on the old farm and run it as a smallholding. I haven’t seen any evidence to say that this has been looked at.’
Carol Mawdsley said: ‘I am very concerned about the young people who are talking about the need for affordable housing.
‘Before we look at tourists, we should be looking at the young people who would give their right arm to live in a property like this.’
She added: ‘Tourism would create an enormous flow of traffic. It’s a small 15mph road that’s not designed for an increase in traffic.
‘I’m appalled that a charity like the National Trust is going for an easy cop-out.’
And Deputy Kirsten Morel said: ‘It’s really important that the Planning Committee appreciate the value of Morel Farm. There’s nothing like it on the Island. It’s unique.’
However, Charles Alluto, chief executive of the National Trust for Jersey, said the buildings needed major investment if they were to be preserved.
He said: ‘I spoke to Miss Morel and at no point did she put any restrictions on that site. She was keenly aware of the need to find a way to secure its future.’
He added: ‘We are knocking down hotels to provide housing. The visitor economy is being maligned in favour of agriculture.
‘We need both. It’s not a case of one or the other. If our visitor economy suffers, then there will be a detrimental effect on our travel links, on our shops, on our restaurants.
‘We need to have some rebalancing.’
Committee members voted to accept the plans for both buildings. Constable Philip Le Sueur, who was chairing the meeting, said: ‘On balance I’m happy to support this. We are not doing something that can’t be reversed.’
Vice-chairperson Deputy Graham Truscott added: ‘I think this is the most pragmatic way forward.’ And Deputy Mary Le Hegarat said: ‘I’m a sad person who spends a lot of time walking around looking at old buildings that are falling down and uncared for.
‘I’m quite happy to see money being spent and this old building restored.’
