LA SOCIETE Guernesiaise has stepped into the planning row on coastal defences at L’Ancresse by claiming rock-armouring is destructive. The Vale Commons Council has been denied planning permission to protect coastline near Fort Doyle from further erosion.

But La Societe considers that it is important that the usual planning procedures are carried through, including publicising applications so that interested parties can object.

‘It is not always self-evident which applications are so overwhelmingly in the public interest that they could be fast-tracked through the planning process,’ said Charles David, La Societe’s marine biology and entomology secretary.

‘In this case, work was started rock-armouring the foreshore without any planning application being submitted.’

If an application had been lodged, La Societe would have objected on several grounds. Rock-armouring often exacerbates the problem of coastal erosion, said Mr David.

‘This is because the artificial slope of the armouring reflects waves at high tide, leading to more scour on the beach and a lowering of beach levels.

‘In this case the southern portion of the armouring would be adjacent to a shingle bank that protects the coast at Fontenelle Bay.

‘It is important that this bank is not eroded. Further north, the rocks have been dumped onto a small shingle beach, which we believe will be self-defeating as this beach is likely to be lowered.

‘If the armouring has no foundations, that will lead to the rocks slumping down the beach, reducing their effectiveness,’ he claimed.

La Societe also believes that rock-armouring destroys the valuable and rare soft-cliff habitat.

This is important because of the nesting places it provides for bees and other insects and occasionally sand martins, said Mr David.

‘There is no need to protect this bit of the common. The erosion here has been going on for years.

‘The underlying rock slopes upwards and the erosion is likely to be self-limiting. There are no buildings or farmland affected,’ he claimed.

La Societe insists that the process of depositing the rocks on the beach will damage sensitive habitats on the common, including heath land and seasonally wet areas with an interesting flora, including some very rare plants.

‘Rock-armouring produces an unnatural look to the shore and adds to the over-development of the island.’

The society thinks an environmental impact assessment should be carried out before any such proposals for development are approved.

The assessment would consider all factors and whether the disadvantages of doing the work outweighs the benefits of saving a few yards of coastal land from erosion.