A DEPUTY has asked for controversial plans to develop three fields in Grouville to be withdrawn after confirming that she is the ultimate owner.
Grouville Deputy Carolyn Labey has sent a letter to St Helier Deputy Scott Wickenden asking him to withdraw his amendment to the Bridging Island Plan – proposing that fields G403C, G403D and G432A near Verona Stores be used for housing.
Deputy Labey has declared that she is the ‘reversionary owner’ of the fields – a legal term that means someone else has a long-term, or lifetime, agreement to use the land, which reverts to the reversionary owner once that period has expired.
Parishioners are due to debate whether ‘strong objections’ should be raised against the potential rezoning of the site and other green fields in the parish, after former Bailiff Sir Philip Bailhache helped to lodge a requête – an ancient legal device allowing parishioners to demand that a parish assembly is held.
In her letter to Deputy Wickenden, Deputy Labey said: ‘I fully appreciate that any elected Member of the States of Jersey has every right to bring forward any proposition or amendment that they wish to be debated before the States Assembly. I also appreciate that you live in our soon-to-be-created super-constituency of Grouville and St Martin, so have a special interest in its welfare. It is therefore with reluctance that I write to you to ask you to consider withdrawing your amendment to the Bridging Island Plan debate due to be held the week of 14 March 2022.
‘The reason for this request is because I have an interest in the fields you are putting forward, with ownership eventually reverting to me at some unknown (and hopefully long-distant) point in the future.’
She added that her interest in the site also prevents her from pursuing an amendment to remove a nearby field from the plan, ‘because its success would potentially influence the success of your own amendment, in which I have an interest’.
Deputy Labey said this would make her unable to fulfil her ‘primary duty’ as Deputy of the parish to represent the interests of her constituents.
‘I have listened to the concerns of my parish, and I share their widely held view that field G392A – along with two other fields in the area, G355 and G358 – are not suitable for development. I wish to put these views forward on behalf of the parish (and indeed the Island) and to participate in this important debate as we try to balance the character of our island with the housing needs of our children, without any suggestion that I am doing so encumbered by a conflict of interest.’
Deputy Labey said she has spoken to Deputy Wickenden and believes he is willing to withdraw his amendment – and that she considers the matter ‘closed’. The JEP was unable to contact Deputy Wickenden at the time of going to press.
Deputy Labey added she would not be making further comment until the plan is debated later this month.
