"I saw an eyesore on the seashore, and I want that eyesore gone"...
So writes Charles Clover in today's Sunday Times 29.06.14 page 27. This is a thought-provoking article and one can only hope that his support of buying up planning disasters .. and turning places that never ought to be have been developed back to wind, grass and soaring birds ... is crystalised by positive support from States of Jersey next Tuesday, 1st July.
National Trust of Guernsey whole heartedly supports National Trust for Jersey's campaign to demolish a derelict former Pontins holiday camp on a rugged area of outstanding natural beauty, clear the site and return it to nature.
The trust has raised £3.5m plus £1m to demolish the buildings on the headland and will learn this week in the States of Jersey, whether the island government is prepared to match the trust's buyout fund.
On 27th June, we learned that if States of Jersey members vote to safeguard Plémont, Jersey Treasury have confirmed that funds will be sourced from Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund.
Charles Clover also writes:
'Something thought-provoking is happening on the beautiful north coast of Jersey, or at least some good people on the island are trying to make it happen. If they succeed, it will put other parts of Europe to shame. National Trust for Jersey is trying to get a derelict former Pontins holiday camp on a rugged headland demolished and erased from the landscape, instead of the site being sold for housing ...
... As we get richer and excavating machines get bigger, the attrition of this precious, finite resource - our coastline - gets worse. We really should do something about it.
That is what the National Trust had in mind when it started the enormously successful Neptune project in the 1960's to buy up the coastline of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It believed that there were places where there should be no development. Hold on to that thought ..."
National Trust of Guernsey's Statement of Support
Martin Ozanne, National Trust of Guernsey's President, adds support to National Trust for Jersey's Love Plémont campaign by saying:
"Plemont is undoubtedly spoilt by the ugly ruins of the holiday camp. The coastal ecology and headland enjoy an exceptional location forming an integral part of the beautiful coastal landscape, stretching from Les Landes to sorel Point. Plémont begs to be removed of this blot on the landscape. Whilst NTG are unable to offer financial support for NTJ's Love Plémont campaign, we whole heartedly support them and are hopeful for a positive outcome, when debated in the Jersey States Assembly on Tuesday 1st July, 2014".
