THE St Brelade politician who organised a demonstration at La Pulente against “privatisation and overdevelopment” of the Island’s coastline has praised the Planning Committee for rejecting plans to turn the former Nude Dunes restaurant into self-catering tourist accommodation.
Deputy Montfort Tadier spoke after the committee voted unanimously to refuse an application from the building’s owner, Nadia Miller, who had sought the change of use after failing to find a buyer for the site as a restaurant – and submitted plans for a two-bedroom self-catering unit with an attached café and public toilets.
Deputy Tadier co-ordinated a protest at the beach in July, attended by hundreds of Islanders, to “show support for the protection of La Pulente and the wider coastline from privatisation and overdevelopment”.
By the time the application was considered on Thursday, it had received over 120 public comments and had been recommended for refusal by planning officer Lawrence Davies.
Among the reasons for refusal put forward by Mr Davies – and upheld by the Planning Committee – was that the conversion of the existing building, which is located within a protected coastal zone, is not supported by the Bridging Island Plan. The committee also concluded that part of the scheme would have affected “an area of the protected dune environment” and caused “landscape harm”.
Reacting to this week’s decision, Deputy Tadier said: “I’m pleased – it’s the right decision.
“The prime concern has to be following planning guidance and protecting the character of the bay.”
While Deputy Tadier expressed sympathy for those involved with the site and former restaurant, he agreed with comments made by committee member Deputy Tom Coles regarding the risks of “incremental encroachment” towards residential development in a coastal national park area.
“That was definitely a concern,” he added.
“Certainly in this instance it [the decision] shows the system has worked, with the protest, lots of submissions and ultimately planning has done its job.”
