"Visually detrimental" marquee must go, joinery business told

Wednesday 09 August 2023

A marquee and storage shed have been ordered to be removed from a business plot in St. Clement because they breach planning law and are “visually detrimental” to the area.

The Planning Department has issued an enforcement notice to Eastern Joinery in relation to its premises at Rue de Samares.

In the letter to the business, planning officers state that the marquee, measuring 261 square metres, and the storage shed (27 sq m) did not have planning consent.

The notice states: “The land lies within the Green Zone of the 2022 Bridging Island Plan, which requires that development must protect or improve landscape and seascape character.

“The unauthorised development is considered to be visually detrimental to the character and appearance of this rural location, contrary to the Island Plan.”

A deadline of 22 December has been given for the business to remove both structures.

The enforcement notice is one element of a protracted planning process, with owner Martin Le Viellez having applied for permission in July 2022 to demolish the Eastern Joinery premises and build two three-bedroomed units on the site.

Pictured: The joinery business is based in St. Clement.

Mr Le Viellez was given planning permission for the project in April of this year, but the following month a neighbour lodged an appeal against the decision. The appeal led to a hearing on 2 August carried out by independent inspector Philip Staddon, who has also been involved in several chapters of the planning process for the Island's new hospital.

The outcome of the appeal is awaited. Mr Le Viellez has been approached for comment.

Pictured top: A photo of the marquee which was included in the Planning Department's enforcement notice.