DAVE BARRETT has questioned the proposed designation of the land around his home in St Peter’s that incorporates Sandpiper Vinery. At the Rural Area Plan planning inquiry, the former deputy said the Island Development Committee’s boundaries in this area were ‘artificial and contrived’.

He argued that the area of high landscape quality should extend to be bordered by Route de Plaisance and Les Heches.

‘I believe that when they decided to put this as non-designated, there may have been an element of trying to support a preliminary designation they’d given,’ he said, referring to the contentious Sandpiper Vinery.

‘It’s a possible reason why the IDC zoned this non-designated area. There is a connection between development control and planning.’

He added that he could be putting two and two together and coming up with five.

The land is currently green zone two and three, but since that designation in 1997 it has undergone significant improvement, including the planting of 600 trees, he said.

‘The proposed non-designation of this land is illogical given the physical characteristics.’

Mr Barrett said the change from high landscape quality to non-designation concerned the part where the most enhancement had taken place.

The area can be seen from various points, including Les Landes, Rue de la Grande Maison and Rue des Fosses.

‘I believe the IDC put the ruler the wrong way around when it designated the commercial glass.’

He offered complete support to the definition of high landscape quality and said the area met this criterion.

The IDC categorically refuted suggestions that the preliminary declaration had made any influence.

‘Planning permissions or histories of a site are utterly irrelevant to the designations,’ said IDC representative Alistair Coates.

‘In non-designated areas, such as this one, the emphasis is still very firmly on maintaining and enhancing the open area of the land.’

The boundaries of areas of high landscape quality have been broadly drawn and can incorporate small clusters of buildings and land of varying quality.

Mr Coates said the argument over designation could be batted backwards and forwards all day.

‘The inspector will give the committee his comments and we will certainly take those on board when we prepare the committee’s comments for the States.’

Mr Barrett reiterated that the area had undergone significant enhancement and warned against policies that accepted a ‘premium of decay’ for former glasshouse sites.