http://www.thisisjersey.com/news/2012/10/15/couple-may-appeal-over-st-peter-care-homes-plan/
Couple may appeal over St Peter care homes plan
On Friday 5th October 2012, I published on this Blog, an article under the title of “Another nail in the coffin of Jersey tourism”. It seems that the article ruffled a few feathers in Jersey, predominately from people and organisations who felt that my comments on the way in which tourism was being destroyed on the island, somehow undermined their efforts to persuade others to retain tourist facilities. It seems to be a common misconception by some on the island, that business interests in Jersey are philanthropic bodies who are driven by a commitment to Jersey and its economy, rather than the prospect of increasing their cash flow by the sale of tangible assets, such as land, particularly when such land can be argued to be in a “prime location”. The growing number of applications granted by the States for “a development of a care home and some houses” is indicative of a drive towards converting assets into cash as quickly as possible. I proposed in my previous article that, “Agriculture has in effect, disappeared from the Island. Tourism is shadow of what it was even five years ago.” The latest planning application to be granted by the States, is the most recent example of an island tourist attraction being “redeveloped” and replaced by a care home and five houses. Personally, I have never been particularly impressed with the Living Legend complex as an attraction. The goods in the shops have always been over priced, even with the “50% off” sale which seems to have been running ever since the complex replaced the previous attraction of the Jersey Strawberry Farm. The Jersey Experience Living Legend show with images of Tony Robinson, Brian Blessed, Samantha Janus (or Womack) and the rest is an interesting history of Jersey, but is again an expensive attraction for mum, dad and the 2.4 children. However, there are those tourists who love the place and it would seem that many make revisits. How much longer this facility will remain on the list of attractions is however, questionable.
A
local couple have threatened to make a third-party appeal after the
plans to build the care home and five houses at the site in St Peter
were given the go-ahead. I wish them well in their quest, but feel
that appeals, petitions, protests and the like against this and all
the other planning applications across Jersey, will have little
effect on the outcome. There is a strange determination within the
States and in many islands businesses and facility owners, to
actively discourage visiting tourists to Jersey by closing the small
hotels and guest hoses, closing the traditional tourist attractions
and associated facilities and leaving the way clear for the sale of
the land for “redevelopment”.
As
a States spokesperson said in a BBC Spotlight interview 2 years ago,
“What
everyone needs to realise, is that the days of the bucket and spade
holidays for mum, dad and two children are over. The traditional
guest houses and the smaller hotels and tourist attractions, must
make way for the 2 or 3 day business and conference trade and the
associated facilities that these visitors will demand”
How
prophetically right he was.
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