Big ideas required

Donna Le Marrec has the last word

The Bridging Island Plan has been an interesting experience for many; the hundreds of people and organisations that submitted comments and attended public meetings during the 12week consultation period, the civil servants who compiled the mammoth document, the independent Planning Inspectors and of course our elected representatives who debated the plan … and all those amendments!!

The Plan set out to deliver the Government's Common Strategic Policy, which aims to meet the following objectives: ‘Make homes more affordable for Islanders; making town a better place to live; protecting our special coasts, countryside, and marine areas; improving transport and supporting a sustainable economy – with more flexibility for retail innovation in town, and support for tourism destinations.’

I am not sure whether the Bridging Island Plan and the decisions made will deliver any of the above objectives, but what seemed rather strange, was that the results of the last census were published some time after the plan had been debated. I would imagine the net inward migration figures, number of vacant homes and the number and demographics of people living in the Island might have had an impact on the plan and any ensuing decisions?

Not only unedifying, especially after the time and effort that obviously went into the plan, was the issue of those green field sites being hurriedly thrown into the mix by politicians at the very last minute – why not at the beginning of the exercise rather than at the end? It was also very strange, despite the public support, that the creation of a Marine Park was rejected. This would have achieved the desired protection aimed for in the Common Strategic Policy and would have generated so much positive PR and thus put Jersey ‘on the map’.

Despite the aim of (providing) ‘support for tourism destinations’, I was surprised to find out how few tourism beds the Island actually now has compared to only a few years ago - 8,463 as of December last year excluding campsites and before the last new Premier Inn was included. At least some of the lost hotels will create much needed homes in town, unlike the multi-million- pound homes being built along the coast (replacing for example The Water’s Edge hotel at Bouley Bay and Café Romany at Grève de Lecq) which will probably only be occupied for a very short time each year by a very small number of people.

In terms of ‘supporting a sustainable economy’, what we have actually witnessed in recent years is an apparent devotion to any kind of wealth (which since Russia invaded Ukraine, seems to me to be particularly abhorrent) and an ‘open door’ for high net worth individuals – symbolised and objectified perhaps by the reality TV show ‘The Real Housewives of Jersey’. There appears to be an acute lack of ‘big ideas’ in other sectors e.g. hospitality and agriculture (aside from the aforementioned Premier Inn and growing medicinal cannabis). In fact, when I think back, Jersey seemed to be doing so well on the ‘foodie front’, especially with our wonderful local produce, a host of food festivals and fabulous Michelin starred chefs. These, sadly, now seem to have disappeared, even before the pandemic.

I have become a recent devotee of Devon and Cornwall and although house prices aren’t that cheap, especially in Devon, and employment opportunities aren’t that diverse, both counties seem to have an entrepreneurial spirit and flair.

I have stayed in some beautiful (and newly created) hotels where local produce is exalted and promoted, where there really is innovation in retail offerings in towns and villages and where, importantly, local people are employed in the hospitality and food industries. Might be something for us to think about?

The former Water’s Edge Hotel

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