Crève Coeur: A New Chapter in a Long History
After more than three decades of negotiations, the National Trust of Guernsey is delighted to have finally secured the conveyance of land at Crève Coeur, Mont Chouet, bringing a longstanding and complex chapter in the Trust's history to a positive conclusion. The history of the Trust's involvement at Crève Coeur reflects the delicate balance between meeting the Island's practical needs and fulfilling its responsibility to protect land for future generations. It is a story of changing circumstances, difficult decisions, considerable patience and, ultimately, a welcome outcome.
The story began in 1972, when P. J. Falla and his sister, K. M. Musters, generously offered approximately seven vergées of land at Chouet to the National Trust of Guernsey. In May 1994, the States Board of Administration approached the Trust with an urgent request. The existing Crève Coeur landfill was expected to reach capacity by September 1995, and the use of an adjoining Trust-owned field could extend its operational life by approximately 18 months. The States proposed leasing the field for two to three years, reinstating it afterwards and potentially transferring the wider Crève Coeur landfill area to the Trust. The Trust Council initially declined the request, expressing understandable concerns about its obligations to benefactors, the preservation of the land's natural character and the wider implications of allowing land held for conservation to be used for landfill. Nevertheless, following further pressured discussions, a subsequent agreement permitted the States to use an area of Trust land.
A five-year lease commenced on 1 November 1995, at a nominal annual rent of £1, and was formally documented in 1998. These were decisions taken in response to the particular circumstances and pressures then facing the Island. The lease expired in November 2000 without formal extension. The States undertook to contour, restore and reseed the land, while arrangements were discussed for the transfer of additional States-owned land to the Trust for a nominal £1.
What might initially have appeared a relatively straightforward arrangement developed into an exceptionally complicated process. Proposals for green-waste facilities, composting operations, landfill gas extraction and electricity generation, together with questions surrounding boundaries, environmental monitoring, maintenance obligations and access, all required careful consideration. The correspondence is extensive. Indeed, even before digital communications became commonplace, the Crève Coeur papers had grown to fill several substantial lever-arch files. Successive Trust Councils and representatives continued to pursue a satisfactory resolution, recognising both the States' operational and environmental responsibilities and the Trust's long-term commitment to the landscape.
After many years of discussion, negotiation and persistence, the conveyance of Crève Coeur to the National Trust of Guernsey has finally been achieved. Significantly, the land conveyed extends well beyond the original field made available to the States for landfill, encompassing the wider Crève Coeur area. The Trust has also acquired additional adjoining land, further strengthening the opportunity to manage this important coastal landscape as a whole. This is a most welcome outcome and represents a significant addition to the land held by the Trust for the benefit of the Island.
Throughout the intervening decades, the former landfill site, which has remained fenced off from public access, has gradually developed into a haven for wildlife. Ground-nesting birds have established themselves, while various species of hawks and owls are also found in the area. A biodiversity survey has been completed and, although no other particularly unusual species of flora or fauna were identified, the site's value as an undisturbed habitat is already evident. The Trust now has an opportunity to consider carefully how best to protect and enhance this developing natural environment, while exploring what appropriate access and enjoyment might eventually be offered to the wider community.
Mike Brown, NTG President says:
“Over the past thirty years, we have repeatedly anticipated the return of Crève Coeur to the Trust, and during that time many ideas and aspirations for its future have been considered. However, both the world and our Island are very different places today. Climate change, increasing urbanisation, the loss of natural habitats and declining biodiversity have brought new challenges and priorities. What may have seemed appropriate thirty years ago may no longer be the best approach today. With the long-awaited conveyance finally achieved, the Trust can now take a moment to reflect, revisit earlier proposals and consider the opportunities afresh. Our priority will be to develop a thoughtful, sustainable plan that respects the wildlife already flourishing on the site, responds to today's environmental challenges and secures the best possible outcome for the Island and generations to come.”