Anger over plan to cover stream on walking route
Education, Sport & Culture (ESC) is considering the idea of metal grates over the stream on the Water Lanes as part of a planning application to improve accessibility to the Les Ozouets education campus.
About 300 people have signed a petition objecting to covering the stream where children like to play, according to objector Darren Davison.
A spokesperson for ESC said the scheme improved pedestrian and cyclist access to the campus via the Water Lanes and avoided a nearby road.
More news stories for Guernsey
Listen to the latest news for Guernsey
Mr Davison, landlord of La Couture Inn, said: "I was quite shocked, I thought it was an April Fool's joke to cover over the Water Lanes which is at the heart of the community.
"I understand why they want cyclists to avoid Collings Road but people using it regularly will be uncomfortable with cyclists using it all the time."
A spokesperson for ESC said in 2022, a planning condition required it to improve pedestrian and cyclist access between La Couture and Les Ozouets via the Water Lanes.
The alternative, Collings Road, was narrow and unsafe, they said.
Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.
New map shows historic walks and coastal kiosks
Visit Guernsey launches new history and heritage routes
Project relaunched to improve access to cycling
States of Guernsey
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Site for two emergency homeless shelters secured
A site to house homeless shelter pods has been found, the chairman of a charity has confirmed. Caritas said it had been aiming to provide immediate shelter for those with nowhere safe to sleep and no other housing options. The States revealed there were more than 60 people on an urgent waiting list for housing - one islander recently said she was "extremely lucky to live in a garden shed" when she had nowhere else to go. Chairman Graham Merfield said the charity had secured a site to place two pods, subject to planning approval. He said: "We are now working through the planning process and the planning team are being very helpful in helping us through that. "We're anticipating our application will go in over the next weeks and our goal is to have the first two pods here for next winter, which would be September, October time." More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Mr Merfield said the sleeping pods had a bed, a chemical toilet, a charging point but no plumbing and were "for emergency use only" to house one person at a time. He said: "Those pods are really intended for the people who are really in desperate need of accommodation. They're not intended to be temporary accommodation. "Our longer term goal is to build a community of modular homes to address the need for temporary accommodation." The charity said it still aimed to provide modular homes, or "tiny homes", which would have a sitting area, bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and plumbing. Following the recent Guernsey general election, the new president of the island's housing committee, Deputy Steve Williams, said he wanted to get spades in the ground and hundreds of homes under construction within his first year. Mr Merfield said the charity were "cautiously optimistic" by what had been promised so far. He said: "We've already had some positive dialogue with some of the new deputies and we're looking forward to meeting with the new housing committee under Steve Williams' leadership. "I think having the responsibility for housing under one committee rather than spread across numerous committees should bring what I think they're terming a 'laser focus' onto the housing issue. "Clearly, we need see what they can do both in the short term and the longer term to address the urgent needs and the longer-term needs of more affordable accommodation in the community." Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to 'I was extremely lucky to live in a garden shed' Charity seeks site for emergency sleeping pods Charity seeks land to tackle island homelessness Caritas Guernsey
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
'I was extremely lucky to live in a garden shed'
An islander who suddenly became homeless and found herself living in a garden shed has described the desperation of trying to find somewhere to stay. Sheyanne Mahy, 26, said she and her husband became homeless in March and had asked the States for help but faced a long waiting list for public housing. She said she was told there was a one-year wait for housing and they were better off looking in the private market but prices were "way beyond her reach". Ed Ashton, director of operations for Social Security, States Housing & Inclusion, said: "We want to house people as soon as possible, however, being able to provide accommodation relies on a property becoming available for them." More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Mrs Mahy said: "I got extremely lucky and was able to stay in a garden shed with my dog with my gran and was there for the duration. "My husband was able to bounce around different places on the sofa, mostly staying between three or four different people. "When things got tough we phoned up and questioned again with the States [and said] you know, its starting to get difficult, where are we looking? "Each time we asked it was back and forth." Mrs Mahy said she was told there were lots of people in a similar situation to them and they were better off looking privately, but prices were mostly out of reach for her. After posting on social media sites looking for accommodation, they were able to secure a winter let owned by Lorraine Lane for about 10 weeks. During a two-week break from the winter let due to a pre-booked guest, the couple said they were able to secure full-time rented accommodation which is where they still live. Mrs Lane, 68, said she had encountered many islanders who were experiencing housing issues and she never usually used to rent out her property during the off-season. "Before Covid I didn't do it but now with the crisis I seem to have plenty of interest even for such short slots," he said. States figures showed there were 66 people on the Band 1 housing list, which are those most in need, but it still takes about a year to secure accommodation. Jane St Pier, chairwoman of At Home in Guernsey, a charity supporting people experiencing homeless, said: "Everyone is being forced into a very tight funnel. "The reality is we have lots of pathways into the risk of homelessness right now and we have very few pathways out." The figures showed there were 40 people waiting for a one-bed properties and they estimated the wait would be nearly two years. For a two-bed property, it is a 15-month wait and there were 17 people on that list. For three-bed properties, there are nine people on the list and the wait time was estimated to be about a year, it said. Mr Ashton, from the States, said: "We want to house people as soon as possible, however, being able to provide accommodation relies on a property becoming available for them. "Waiting times are also dependent on the type and size of the property required. "We remain committed to supporting those who are struggling to find suitable housing, and would urge anyone facing such hardship to contact Income Support.' Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Young people driven away by high prices - study 'My landlord's going to have to take us to court' The retiree helping to house the homeless At Home in Guernsey States of Guernsey
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
'I was extremely lucky to live in a garden shed'
An islander who suddenly became homeless and found herself living in a garden shed has described the desperation of trying to find somewhere to stay. Sheyanne Mahy, 26, said she and her husband became homeless in March and had asked the States for help but faced a long waiting list for public housing. She said she was told there was a one-year wait for housing and they were better off looking in the private market but prices were "way beyond her reach". Ed Ashton, director of operations for Social Security, States Housing & Inclusion, said: "We want to house people as soon as possible, however, being able to provide accommodation relies on a property becoming available for them." More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Mrs Mahy said: "I got extremely lucky and was able to stay in a garden shed with my dog with my gran and was there for the duration. "My husband was able to bounce around different places on the sofa, mostly staying between three or four different people. "When things got tough we phoned up and questioned again with the States [and said] you know, its starting to get difficult, where are we looking? "Each time we asked it was back and forth." Mrs Mahy said she was told there were lots of people in a similar situation to them and they were better off looking privately, but prices were mostly out of reach for her. After posting on social media sites looking for accommodation, they were able to secure a winter let owned by Lorraine Lane for about 10 weeks. During a two-week break from the winter let due to a pre-booked guest, the couple said they were able to secure full-time rented accommodation which is where they still live. Mrs Lane, 68, said she had encountered many islanders who were experiencing housing issues and she never usually used to rent out her property during the off-season. "Before Covid I didn't do it but now with the crisis I seem to have plenty of interest even for such short slots," he said. States figures showed there were 66 people on the Band 1 housing list, which are those most in need, but it still takes about a year to secure accommodation. Jane St Pier, chairwoman of At Home in Guernsey, a charity supporting people experiencing homeless, said: "Everyone is being forced into a very tight funnel. "The reality is we have lots of pathways into the risk of homelessness right now and we have very few pathways out." The figures showed there were 40 people waiting for a one-bed properties and they estimated the wait would be nearly two years. For a two-bed property, it is a 15-month wait and there were 17 people on that list. For three-bed properties, there are nine people on the list and the wait time was estimated to be about a year, it said. Mr Ashton, from the States, said: "We want to house people as soon as possible, however, being able to provide accommodation relies on a property becoming available for them. "Waiting times are also dependent on the type and size of the property required. "We remain committed to supporting those who are struggling to find suitable housing, and would urge anyone facing such hardship to contact Income Support.' Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Young people driven away by high prices - study 'My landlord's going to have to take us to court' The retiree helping to house the homeless At Home in Guernsey States of Guernsey
