Inspectors say quarrying should resume at St Ouen's Bay

The draft Bridging Island Plan covers development in the island until 2025. Credit: ITV Channel TV

Independent inspectors say quarrying in St Ouen's Bay in Jersey should be allowed to continue.

The extraction of sand at Simon Sand and Gravel Quarry in the west of the island stopped at the end of 2021, after plans to expand the site were rejected on environmental grounds.

However, in a report into the draft Bridging Island Plan, inspectors say the practice should continue into the next decade with a focus on finding a more sustainable alternative in the future.

Deputy Young says he will lodge an amendment to the draft plan to allow more extraction to go ahead, but that it will be subject to an environmental impact assessment.

Planning inspectors have made 60 recommendations on the draft Bridging Island Plan - including expanding the Coastal National Park and increasing provision of affordable housing.

The Environment Minister says an additional 150 affordable homes will be provided on top of the 1,500 already set out in the draft Bridging Island Plan - which runs until 2025.

Fields in St Helier, St Mary, St John, St Peter, St Saviour and St Ouen have now been earmarked for development - but some sites, including those that serve dairy herds at Mont à L’Abbé and fields in St Clement have been removed.

Deputy Young will also bring forward his proposals to devise a 'masterplan' for Five Oaks, with a focus on creating better cycling and pedestrian links and more community facilities.

Inspectors also supported plans to safeguard land around La Gigoulande Quarry in St Mary for rock extraction in the future as well as continuing sand extraction at Simon Sand and Gravel Quarry in St Ouen, with a focus on finding a more sustainable alternative in the future.

Deputy Young says "the inspectors’ report is thorough and comprehensive, and because of the high level of engagement throughout the Island Plan review process I have real confidence in accepting the vast majority of the recommendations.

"It is now for my fellow States Members to also carefully consider the inspectors’ report, and I hope that they will give it due weight in their own deliberations.”

The proposals will be debated by the States Assembly in March.