A PLAN to demolish a café at Grève de Lecq and replace it with a four-bedroom home and café is due to go before the Planning Committee in two weeks.
The scheme, submitted by De Montford Developments, could lead to the reinstatement of some of the duneland on the site of the Romany Café and the removal of the majority of the car park. The protected German bunker would be retained.
If the project is approved, a public footpath is also due to be created through the site.
Planning officers have recommended that the Planning Committee – which is comprised of States Members – approves the development.
A total of 44 comments have been submitted by members of the public with 41 of those being classed as objections.
Some of those speaking against the proposals have raised concerns about replacing the current 150-capacity café with a much smaller eatery, which would seat 50 people inside and 50 outside.
Some have also referred to the site’s position within the Coastal National Park.
And others – including traffic authorities – have taken issue with the proposed reduction of parking spaces. Currently, the site’s owner allows up to 74 cars and 11 coaches to park on the private land.
But, if plans are approved, this could be reduced to 16 cars with a bus stop area.
Referring to the parking issue, the planning officer overseeing the application said that it was not down to a private landowner to provide public spaces.
In the officer’s report it says: ‘Across the development as a whole, the application will deliver significant reductions in built footprint, building floor space and visual impact. There will be significant amounts of increased natural landscaping with the establishment of a new dunescape environment.
‘Architecturally, the new buildings will be far more sympathetic in design and appearance given the sensitive coastal setting. The department also accepts the applicant’s position that a smaller, tighter, commercial operation, offering a modern casual dining experience, which is akin to similar premises in the Island, is desirable. This contrasts to the existing operation, which is oversized and impractical in the modern era.’
The Planning Committee will meet on 13 January at 9.30am at St Paul’s Centre. Members of the public are entitled to observe and may address the panel.
