This Is Guernsey

NEIGHBOURS are up in arms over the proposed site for a new Castel cemetery. The Parochial Cemeteries Committee has submitted an application to the Environment Department proposing to use the field at Ruette de la Croix as the new graveyard.

But Janet James, who lives with her husband, Richard, next door to the entrance of the site believes it would be a disaster if the application were successful.

‘The access to and exit from this cemetery would be just ludicrous,’ said the 53-year-old.

‘The road is just a narrow and one-way country lane that is used frequently. It narrows in part so much that cars and a pedestrian can’t fit past each other.

‘There’s a lot of traffic issues here and for this field to be chosen as a site we feel is ridiculous.’

Mrs James and her husband, who have always known the road - which forks off Rue des Cauvains - as La Croix Lane, were told when they bought the house 15 years ago that the field was agricultural land and that would not change.

She said if the proposals went ahead, it would mean the loss of further greenbelt area that was owned by the States.

‘We’ve seen reports that they require more fields for this purpose, but I understand there have been other fields in Castel that have been rejected for cemeteries for one reason or another and I’m led to believe that one of those fields rejected was in an open area.’

Jean Nixon has lived opposite the field for more than 40 years.

‘I have just sold the house and I feel absolutely horrified about the thought of it being turned into a cemetery,’ said the 87-year-old.

Gill Birnie, who with her husband, Andrew, has bought the property from Mrs Nixon, said she was very worried about the proposals.

‘We are certainly shocked by the whole thing.

‘You can see when you stand in the road that the proposed point of access is totally unrealistic because the road is far too narrow,’ said the 45-year-old.

‘I have a 13-year-old son who will have to walk from the bus stop on the main road up the lane and around a very nasty corner, which will be made even more dangerous if the traffic increases, as it would when there are funerals going on.’

Romy Randell, who has lived in the road for 12 years, said the parking situation would be atrocious should the cemetery proposal go ahead.

‘They’ve allocated 12 parking spaces in the proposal.

‘If you have more than 12 cars turn up for a funeral, there is absolutely nowhere they can park within this vicinity,’ she said.

At least 10 of the residents in the area have vowed to write a letter to Environment objecting to the proposal.

Article posted on 27th April, 2007 - 12.00am