LES Ormes’ managing director has called for more support for the tourism industry as part of an application to build more accommodation and extend the swimming pool at the holiday village.
In a supporting statement to Les Ormes’ planning application, Mike Graham said Jersey was ‘falling behind’ with the amount and quality of tourist accommodation it offered, warning that flight and ferry routes would decline if development in the sector was not supported.
If approved, the plans would see an extension to the existing swimming pool for the holiday village, as well as the creation of an additional three-bedroom self-catering villa – similar to the site’s existing units – alongside landscaping improvements.
In his statement, Mr Graham said Les Ormes was not only seeking to increase the number of self-catering units, ‘but to raise the overall site standard to levels found at other top destinations’.
He explained: ‘The development of villa four, similar in style to villas one [to] three, would add three bedrooms sleeping up to six guests at any one time.
‘Our data shows that 55 guests use a bedroom over a year period. Based on 55 guests per room, we expect 165 extra visitors per year. The impact of these guests is significant in supporting our economy and our way of life in more ways than we often appreciate.’
The accompanying design statement from Riva Architects notes that the existing swimming pool is at capacity during the summer months.
‘With the additional guests anticipated over the coming years, it is clear the supporting leisure facilities need further enhancement. The 25m x 10m pool proposals increase the pool area from 106sq-m to 298sq-m and will allow its use both as a serious training pool when timetabled alongside the general use for family leisure,’ it said.
It also concludes that the new villa would ‘supplement and extend the existing terrace of three villa buildings to the east and harmonise with the orientation of the Les Ormes Farm buildings’.
‘The proposals represent a sustainable use of the site that supplements the existing popular tourism facilities at Les Ormes and, in turn, the Island,’ it concludes.
Mr Graham said Jersey was ‘falling behind not just in numbers of beds but in terms of quality’.
‘If tourism development in the Island isn’t supported, we will never reach the aspiration of one million visitors per year and there would be little point in continuing to invest in Visit Jersey. Flight and ferry routes will decline if we don’t invest in accommodation.
‘Island attractions, local public transportation and retail may all see a decline in footfall,’ he added.
