TOWN businesses could be ‘sucked dry’ by the Leale’s Yard development if it went ahead, according to the Chamber of Commerce.

Carl Symes, chairman of the chamber’s land use and planning sub-group, has drawn up a letter which lays out serious concerns about the Channel Island Co-operative Society’s multi-million pound proposal for the Bridge site.

This is an about-turn for the business group, which pledged its support to the project in April. But since seeing the plans. members were concerned about the impact of the development.

Mr Symes believed many islanders did not realise what the plans could do to Guernsey.

‘Leale’s Yard will impact on everyone across the island and is a serious threat to retail,’ he said.

He claimed the development would be double the retail space currently in St Peter Port, as well as including a large amount of residential area.

‘It will be massive, even by UK standards,’ said Mr Symes.

He believed it would draw businesses away from Town and lead to an empty, unattractive High Street.

‘Leale’s Yard will be a better design and layout than Town, because it is modern. Town is historic, but this new development would be a blank canvas, and that’s attractive to traders.’