THE new Saltpans industrial area should be made affordable for small local firms, says the Confederation of Guernsey Industry.

Director Peter Budwin said the group had been fully supportive of States proposals for the land throughout the initial consultation process and it still was.

‘But we felt that because it was a very high-end industrial estate with a lot of landscaping, it seemed to be geared to attracting off-island business,’ he said. ‘We have nothing against that, but we feel that the need is greater for on-island businesses that are already looking for industrial space.’

He hoped the CGi’s original comments would be noted in the next stage of the planning process. ‘The original proposal would have been very expensive and there would have been few small businesses that could have afforded the rents that we would have anticipated,’ said Mr Budwin.