THE Jersey Farmers Union and the Government’s Economy Department have both put their weight behind a privately funded project to build what has been described as a ‘visionary agricultural enterprise’ in Trinity that aims to find new ways to add value to Island produce.
The owners of Augrès House in Trinity, which overlooks Grands Vaux Reservoir, have applied to the Planning Department for permission to build a “21st century agricultural diversification project” called The Grove at Augrès, which is described as a “strategic hub for rural innovation, community-led development, rural education and training, local food resilience and sustainable agricultural policy”.
To achieve this, the applicant wants to partially knock down an existing agricultural shed close to his home to build a ‘agricultural enterprise facility’ and construct three new blocks nearby: a training and education centre with offices; and visitor accommodation; and staff accommodation.
The current application was submitted in September and now several statutory consultees have responded. There have also been 20 public comments.
In support, the JFU states: “The proposed development will provide a fantastic opportunity for the next generation of agriculturalists to learn and enhance their skills.
“There has been a large gap in a training and development premises for the agricultural sector in the Island in past years and it is much needed to teach the next generation how to become food producers.”
In its submission, the Economy Department writes: “The proposed development represents a rare and strategically significant opportunity to combine substantial private investment with the Island’s long-term policy direction as set out in the Rural Economy Framework.”
Taxpayer-funded not-for-profit Farm Jersey is also behind the scheme, saying that The Grove’s plan to build resilience in the food supply chain is commendable.
However, not all consultees are fully supportive.
The Cabinet Office’s Place and Spatial Planning Team – which drafts planning policy – writes: “The intention of the applicant is appreciated, it is an ambitious proposal and one that, if successful could contribute significantly to the agriculture economy through a long-term strategy.
“However, the business plan fails to explain how the intentions would be delivered and there is no existing business to build through diversification.”
The team adds: “The application proposes a major new development outside of the built-up area. There is no justification for departing from the adopted policies. With the existing facilities on site, there is no reason the business plan cannot start in its infancy using the existing building to provide education and plant the vineyard or orchard.
“This could then provide the business case with some evidence of demand and (if future growth were needed) this could be used to justify and support an application at a later time.”
The government’s Landscape Officer team in the Infrastructure and Environment Department’s regulation department is objecting to the scheme, expressing a concern that “the landscape would be irrevocably damaged should an issue arise that made the venture untenable.”
As a ‘major’ planning application, it is likely that the project will be determined by the Planning Committee, a group of politicians who decide on larger and more controversial applications.
The scheme resurrects a project that was first proposed last year.
Explaining more about what the project is about, the applicant told the JEP: “This is not about teaching farmers how to do their jobs because, in Jersey, they are absolutely brilliant at what they do.
“The vision here is to focus on the front-end of farming: the interface between farming and retail, because you only need to watch a programme like Clarkson’s Farm to see the challenges that farmers face to make a decent return on the huge amounts of capital investment they have to put in.
“This about approaching farming from the other end: about identifying the added value and getting people to think differently. My plan is low intensity from a footfall basis – no more than a normal commercial farming business – but it is financially and intellectually high-intensity.
“As an example, if there are Islanders producing local gins but they are struggling because we have no bottling facility here, why don’t we fund a bottling plant that, say, ten artisanal producers can share?
“I’m going to invite peer-group and business leaders from the other end of agriculture, who understand where our products end up, to help producers aim their product into the right niche areas. Why does the French Norman market come here each winter? It’s because they know that they will get a proper price from the consumer and they are not being ripped off by a multinational.”
“This is all about mental capital: mentoring, inspiration and guidance. This project aims to revitalise Jersey’s rural economy through diversification and innovation, and support community engagement in agriculture.
“Food is so important to us, and yet the farming industry is critically endangered in its current form. By looking at ways to improve the margins that producers receive, we hope to attract the next generation into agriculture.
“I’m confident that if it is built, they will come.”
The applicant added that it was “absolutely right” that this facility was built in the green zone because it had agriculture its core, as did the dairy in Trinity and agricultural sheds built in the countryside. He stressed that it was right that this was a privately funded project so decisions could be made quicker and more effectively.
“The only person who could ever lose out on this is me, and that’s how it should be,” he said.
He added that the visitor accommodation was not in any residential development and was simply so people invited over to contribute to the project could stay on the site.
The business plan
As part of the application, a ten-point plan has been put forward outlining the key aims and commitments of the scheme should it be given the go-ahead.
Among them are that The Grove would be entirely privately funded and that a £250,000 ‘Future Farming Fund’ would be set up for farming and community projects which local entrepreneurs and producers can apply to a receive awards of £2,500, £5,000 or £10,000 per project to help “germinate relevant new ideas and opportunities”.
The applicants state that they want to “promote diversification in agriculture”, provide an education facility for the next generation of farming in the Island and assist in meeting carbon neutral targets.
Other core aims of the project include to “fund peer leaders from other geographical regions to share their experience and expertise with the local farmers and growers”, promote self-sufficiency in local food production, promote “awareness of viable opportunities to produce/ package/ supply products to 21st century heath conscious consumers” and to create a private-sector value capture structure for local farmers in line with international best pratice.
The final commitment made is to plant 1,000 trees on the applicants’ holdings – equating to 3% of trees lost during Storm Ciaran.
Who is behind the scheme?
Richard Griffiths is a farmer who has previously appeared on the Sunday Times Rich List.
He left school at 16 to work on the family’s sheep farm before meeting a greyhound trainer with City clients who would place huge bets on the dogs. He quickly gained an interest in shares, reading newspapers and educating himself in the ways of the market. His first investment – of £1,000 – in 1985 made an impressive £300 profit.
He went on to take his stockbroker and investment bank business from a start-up to FTSE 250 member in five years.
In 2018, he had an estimated net worth of £300 million.
Images: HD Planning and Design
