THERE is a desperate need for builders’ yards. The Construction Industry Forum wants a new policy in the draft rural area plan to cater for the demand.

It said there was no provision for creating an important part of the infrastructure to support the construction industry in the rural area.

‘Within the island there is a desperate need for builders’ yards, which would be used generally to service the industry and for open storage of materials and plant connected with the building industry,’ said Rob Le Page at the planning inquiry.

There was no specific category for yards in the use groups.

‘It is only natural if a landowner has a site for light industrial use, they will aim for one that will provide the best income,’ he added.

‘This situation must be addressed and a way found to ensure that there is adequate provision for builder’s yards in order to support the infrastructure of the building industry.’

There was also concern within the industry about the loss of Leale’s Yard and Belgrave Vinery, both of which currently help cater for this need in the urban area.

‘The existing light industrial sites in the urban area are already full to capacity,’ said Mr Le Page.

‘The additional site that was zoned in the Braye Road/Salt Pans area is one that will fall into the high revenue earning industrial type, therefore, the needs of the building industry are not going to be met.’

Forum chairman Eric Legg said that whatever land could be allowed would definitely be taken up.

He added that cost was a problem.

‘Property owners aren’t too keen to have what they consider a building site next to their house for a low rental or sale price but they may willingly sell for a house or light industrial site to be built and large profit.’

He pointed out the inefficiency of builders living in rural areas having to spend time travelling to the urban area to collect material when work was predominantly in the country parishes

‘I firmly believe there must be sites in the rural area that could be considered ideal for this type of use, those with access and capable of being made secure, hence the suggestion of a new policy,’ he said.

Environment Department forward planning officer Damon Hackley said that because of the broad policy approach to this plan, it did not wish to start picking out individual elements within each sector of the island’s economy.

‘If we drafted individual policies to cater for builders’ yards, then we would need to do the same for car mechanics, skip operators, scaffolders, glaziers and so on, resulting in a policy for just about everything.’

A shortage of industrial accommodation was identified during the review for the Urban Area Plan and specific measures introduced.

‘The department considers that, other than converted or reused buildings or adaptation of existing industrial or storage yards, appropriate sites are brown field sites within the urban area.’

If a revised approach was required, he said, it would need to be embodied in a reviewed Strategic and Corporate Plan.

‘The forum could also encourage those of its members with larger yards and premises, or redundant buildings, to liaise with the smaller businesses to see if there is scope for the sharing of facilities within the rural area,’ he said.