A DECADE-LONG battle to expand a local business will soon be won, according to Stan Brouard Ltd’s managing director.
After fighting since 1998, enduring many setbacks, taking the States to court and threatening to leave the island, Rodney Brouard (pictured) said yesterday: ‘I am convinced we will get it now, at last.’
He has separated a planning request to expand the company’s garden and leisure-goods centre into four separate applications.
‘We split it up so if they find one problem, they won’t end up turning the whole lot down.
‘I don’t know if it’s the record, but it has been a very long time,’ he said. ‘I don’t give up.’
The four-part application includes a building for the postal flower part of the business and a plant to mass-produce a product Mr Brouard believes will launch the company forward.
‘SB plant invigorator is our own product, a 100% safe pesticide and plant invigorator we sell to countries across the world including Taiwan and Cyprus, and we have taken out 37 patents on it,’ he said.
Stan Brouard Ltd also wants to put up agriculture store and irrigation department buildings, revamp the car park and rebuild two greenhouses if it gets the go-ahead.
‘It’s a lot of space – about 17,000sq. ft of ground floor,’ he said.
Mr Brouard said trying to get planning approval had been hugely complicated and amendments to the Rural Area Plan and subsequent changes to land designation had caused delays.
In 2006, he got to the stage where he had a petition with more than 4,000 signatures supporting the development.
But last year, after Environment again said no, he appealed.
‘It all went to the Royal Court last year and it came out eight to one in our favour,’ he said.
The plans the court passed had hardly been altered, he said, so he felt confident they would not be resisted again.
‘We have got permission in principle, really – it is just the final permission we need and to see if they want any alterations.’
Mr Brouard anticipated receiving the final answer before too long.
‘I would have thought that by the end of this year, we will have their reply – I hope.’
La Societe Guernesiaise was involved in planning the landscaping, which Mr Brouard also thought would improve his chances.
Article posted on 3rd July, 2009 - 2.29pm
2 Article Comments
This application seeks to construct an ugly industrial building on a perfectly delightful and effective agricultural field when there are numerous more appropriate industrial sites to be found elsewhere.
Our planners (both professional and political) have consistently attempted to protect Guernsey’s limited amount of open countryside, in this case fighting a well funded and professionally targeted campaign aimed at States members.
Permission to build on this field would prove that developers can buy their way around a law designed to protect the common good.
What a shame.
Report abuse
It is particularly distressing that this campaign to destroy another little piece of Guernsey for the sake of profit is being vigorously promoted by one bearing the name of an old and respected Guernsey family. It’s not just incomers and foreigners who are hellbent on destroying our island in pursuit of personal advantage.
Report abuse