Latest news with #StSampson
BBC News
18-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Channel Islands Coop must 'move on' after new homes plan stalled
The boss of Channel Islands Coop says the firm has "got to move on", after its long-running plans to redevelop a derelict site in Guernsey with more than 300 homes did not executive Mark Cox said Coop was happy to "draw a successful conclusion" to the Leale's Yard site, on The Bridge, St Sampson, after agreeing to sell it to the States for £4.5m after owning it for nearly 30 retailers said they were "elated" and "hopeful".Mr Cox said Coop's final attempt at developing the site, which included plans for 338 houses, a multi-storey car park and a supermarket, was not meant to be. It comes after the States pulled out of a £35m deal to support Coop and developer Omnibus. Mr Cox said: "I guess there's a little bit of disappointment that we haven't been able to deliver our plans, but equally we've got to recognise that we're retailers. "We've got to move on - the States have a need for housing and as a coop we've always wanted to support that need."Being able to pass this over to the government to enable them to take it on and unleash the potential for the site and other sites that they own in Guernsey is really positive." 'Holding back' land The States of Guernsey announced plans to buy Leale's Yard on Wednesday. Earlier this year, it pulled out of a deal to spend about £35m on the project to support the Coop and developer Omnibus with the Cox said the company had subsequently "not been able to deliver the scheme".He said: "I think from a core point of view, we've got to take a long hard look at that and what we're doing is holding back a piece of land that could be developed out of much-needed housing in Guernsey. "If we're not able to do that, then we've got to find somebody that is able to do that." Mr Cox said the money from the purchase would be used to invest into its supermarket on Nocq Road in St said: "What it now gives us is certainty for our members and our colleagues that we'll be reinvesting in Nocq Road, improving that store for the benefit of those members."We'll expect to see some exciting plans coming out for the future of Nocq Road."
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Retailers 'elated' by State purchase on Bridge
Retailers were "elated" and "hopeful" after the States confirmed it would be purchasing a site in St Sampson. The States of Guernsey announced plans to buy the Leale's Yard site on The Bridge for £4.5m on Wednesday. Earlier this year it had pulled out of a deal to spend about £35m on the project to support the Channel Islands Co-Operative and developer Omnibus with the scheme. Martin Search, owner of Ray & Scott Jewellers, said he was "absolutely elated" by the purchase. He said: "I honestly didn't think it would happen in my lifetime and I think it is going to happen this time. "I honestly think it's gone on too long but we've got so close now to the point of the negotiation and where they bought it and where they've actually put their hands in the pocket." Shop owner Dave Perchard said he was "hopeful that something is actually going to happen this time". He said: "I've traded on The Bridge for 30 years now, and even 30 years ago I was concerned as to what the future for my shop was going to be because of Leale's Yard. "Here we are 30 years later and nothing's happened, but it really looks positive this time." Deputy Steve Williams, President of the Housing Committee, said it was a "great opportunity" for the States to improve the area. He said: "It's been derelict for a long time and we saw through the election period a lot of the public were really keen that something happened with Leale's Yard. "We desperately need housing in the island, this is such a brownfield site... it's really good derelict land to make some good opportunity for new housing." 'Generating transport links' Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure President Deputy Adrian Gabriel said work had to be done to improve the roads. He said: "The road network at the moment won't certainly cope with extra housing, so this site is ideal for generating some transport links to help the surrounding area residents and anyone visiting. "It's brilliant that we've been able to capitalise on this and invest in this site... this site has been derelict for many a year so now it's wholly in the state's hands." Lisa said the States needed to provide more housing for its islanders. She said: "Hopefully it's a good thing and it'll be redeveloped into new homes which are desperately needed in the island. "I think The Bridge needs a bit of a facelift... we need houses, it's a unique site." Islander Martin disagreed: "More houses, more people, we haven't got the infrastructure in this island. "What the bridge needs to make it more vibrant is more shops... make it look nice, a nice shopping precinct [and a] nice big car park." More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Debs said she was worried about the impact on the local school. "For me, I feel it's bursting at the seams already - adding all that extra housing in one spot, that concerns me." Andrew said he was not convinced things would change: "It's been going on for a few years now and I don't think they're going to do much with it. "That's not going to happen within a year, I reckon give it another five years and it'll probably still be the same." Islander Robert said this was "just what the bridge needs": "For the footfall that will come out of the building project and with Quayside work going on when that's in place there's going to be a lot more commercial benefit from it." Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to More on this story States to buy Leale's Yard site for £4.5m States stops potential £35m Bridge investment Step forward for £100m plan to build 338 new homes Related internet links States of Guernsey
BBC News
17-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bridge retailers 'elated' by Leale's Yard State purchase
Retailers were "elated" and "hopeful" after the States confirmed it would be purchasing a site in St States of Guernsey announced plans to buy the Leale's Yard site on The Bridge for £4.5m on this year it had pulled out of a deal to spend about £35m on the project to support the Channel Islands Co-Operative and developer Omnibus with the Search, owner of Ray & Scott Jewellers, said he was "absolutely elated" by the purchase. He said: "I honestly didn't think it would happen in my lifetime and I think it is going to happen this time."I honestly think it's gone on too long but we've got so close now to the point of the negotiation and where they bought it and where they've actually put their hands in the pocket."Shop owner Dave Perchard said he was "hopeful that something is actually going to happen this time".He said: "I've traded on The Bridge for 30 years now, and even 30 years ago I was concerned as to what the future for my shop was going to be because of Leale's Yard."Here we are 30 years later and nothing's happened, but it really looks positive this time." Deputy Steve Williams, President of the Housing Committee, said it was a "great opportunity" for the States to improve the said: "It's been derelict for a long time and we saw through the election period a lot of the public were really keen that something happened with Leale's Yard. "We desperately need housing in the island, this is such a brownfield site... it's really good derelict land to make some good opportunity for new housing." 'Generating transport links' Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure President Deputy Adrian Gabriel said work had to be done to improve the said: "The road network at the moment won't certainly cope with extra housing, so this site is ideal for generating some transport links to help the surrounding area residents and anyone visiting."It's brilliant that we've been able to capitalise on this and invest in this site... this site has been derelict for many a year so now it's wholly in the state's hands." Lisa said the States needed to provide more housing for its said: "Hopefully it's a good thing and it'll be redeveloped into new homes which are desperately needed in the island."I think The Bridge needs a bit of a facelift... we need houses, it's a unique site."Islander Martin disagreed: "More houses, more people, we haven't got the infrastructure in this island."What the bridge needs to make it more vibrant is more shops... make it look nice, a nice shopping precinct [and a] nice big car park." Debs said she was worried about the impact on the local school."For me, I feel it's bursting at the seams already - adding all that extra housing in one spot, that concerns me."Andrew said he was not convinced things would change: "It's been going on for a few years now and I don't think they're going to do much with it."That's not going to happen within a year, I reckon give it another five years and it'll probably still be the same."Islander Robert said this was "just what the bridge needs": "For the footfall that will come out of the building project and with Quayside work going on when that's in place there's going to be a lot more commercial benefit from it."
BBC News
10-07-2025
- BBC News
Prison officer jailed for 10 weeks for sex assault and indecency
A former Guernsey prison officer has been sentenced to 10 weeks in jail after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman and "indecent behaviour" to a separate Francis Tardif, 53, of St Sampson, was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman at his home on 14 October 2022, placing his hands on her shoulders and making a sexual had also previously been found guilty of "indecent behaviour" after exposing himself to a massage was sentenced to six weeks in prison for the count of sexual assault and given a further four week prison sentence for indecent behaviour. The sentences will run consecutively. 'Harsher consequences' Judge Gary Perry said he took Tardif's "previous good character" into account but reminded the court that he had held a senior role in the Perry acknowledged that "a prison sentence for you as a prison officer will have harsher consequences in terms of serving that sentence than it might have for others".He added however that "the court must be consistent in the way that it deals with these kind of offences".
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guernsey States urged to act on concerns over housing plans
A parish has called on the States to act over concerns about the impact of plans to build more than 1,000 new homes over the next six new homes would be built in St Sampson's in Guernsey under the Island Development Plan's (IDA) spatial strategy, alongside plans for 89 new homes in St Sampson's Parish Douzaine said that while concessions had been made in relation to the Vazon plans, the Development and Planning Authority (DPA) had failed to act on concerns about the impact on infrastructure in their parish, including a rise in traffic volumes of as much as 50%.The DPA has been approached for comment. Karl Guille, from St Sampson's Parish Douzaine, said they had "been on the back foot" since the IDA was introduced in 2011, putting "the majority of new housing in our parish"."We are concerned that our infrastructure simply can't cope with the level of development that is being proposed," he said it was "somewhat ironic" that the Development and Planning Authority chose to recognise road safety, traffic management and other concerns raised around the planned development of 89 new homes in Vazon "when it continues to promote over 1,000 new houses in the north of the island".Guille said several road junctions were already operating over capacity and traffic volumes there were more than twice the levels seen in the west and south of the a statement issued in response to the plans, the Douzaine said it was disappointed there had not been a review to the spatial strategy to allow the "burden of development to be shared more widely".The 1,000 new homes represented 64% of the island's allocation, they added. 'Concerns largely ignored' The parish's junior constable Joe Abbotts said it was a shame concerns continually highlighted by the parish and traffic consultants in 2010 and in 2012 "have largely been ignored". "Central to those concerns is the cumulative impact such developments will have on existing roads infrastructure resulting in numerous junctions operating above capacity with significant queuing," he have also been expressed about the increased flood risk if large numbers of housing were to be built on low lying land such as in the Braye du Valle and about the impact on existing public utility infrastructure. St Sampson's Douzaine said while it appreciated that demand for housing, and especially affordable housing, was becoming increasingly urgent, the new housing would cause a "significant increase" in demand on "already constrained roads and public utility infrastructure".Parishioners of St Sampson were also "rightly concerned about the potential depreciation in the value of their homes and the deterioration in the quality of life that could arise living in such highly developed areas", the spokesperson spatial strategy prioritises housing development in and around the edges of the urban centres of St Peter Port and St Sampson and Vale. 'Extremely disappointed' A spokesperson for St Sampson's Douzaine said they were "extremely disappointed the States had not taken the opportunity to review the strategy to allow the burden of development to be shared more widely".They said some of the latest proposed amendments to the draft plan were sensible in seeking to concentrate future developments on brownfield or redundant glasshouse sites and creating some limited additional housing sites in the west and south of the these amendments "do not go anywhere near far enough in the opinion of St Sampson's Douzaine to allay existing concerns over the anticipated impact that such high levels of continued development will have on the north of the Island", they added.
