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Coastal duneland featuring a German bunker and 80 different plant species has been handed to a mystery buyer – beating the National Trust’s £260,000 bid to save the area from “commercial exploitation.”
The Les Mielles du Sud site, which comprises two patches totalling 27 vergees between Le Braye and El Tico in St. Ouen, was put on the market in May.
Owned by one family since the early 1900s, the land had most recently been leased, with the southern part of the duneland let out on a five-year lease of £1,200. The agent, Maillards, said that this could be terminated with three months’ notice, however.
As a designated Site of Special Interest (SSI), the site soon caught the attention of the National Trust – not only due to the German bunker, which had previously been used for storage, but due to the “richness” of flora and fauna there.
The Trust said an initial survey of the area revealed as many as 80 plants, including rare and protected species like Alderney Sea Lavender, as well as more common varieties such as Hares Tail, Sea Beet, Wild Carrot and Burnet Rose.
Branding the sale “a once in a lifetime opportunity to permanently safeguard this biodiverse expanse of coastal duneland”, the Trust launched a campaign to raise over £200,000 in just two weeks to submit a bid. They hoped to be able to emulate the previous success of their years-long campaign to turn Plémont “back to nature.”
Despite being a “big challenge”, the bid managed to generate £260,020.
But yesterday they were told that bid was unsuccessful, and that the land had instead been awarded to an anonymous purchaser.
“A decision has been made but unfortunately this information is being kept private. All interested parties have been notified of the decision,” a spokesperson for Maillards told Express.
Video: The National Trust's campaign to safeguard the St. Ouen coastal site for the public.
Speaking following the decision, Trust officials expressed their disappointment at not being able to “secure this beautiful area of duneland for the benefit of the island.”
But the Trust has nonetheless vowed to battle to keep coastal development off the agenda. As Les Mielles du Sud forms part of the Coastal National Park, there is an automatic presumption against building in the area, but any proposals submitted in future would ultimately be up to the Planning Department to decide.
“The National Trust for Jersey would like to wholeheartedly thank everyone for their incredible level of support, and would like to give a firm assurance that it will continue to work tirelessly to protect St Ouen’s Bay from inappropriate development and commercial exploitation.
“The protection of Jersey’s coastline lies at the very heart of the Trust’s future vision and underlies its pledge to permanently protect a further 1,000 vergées within the next 20 years.”
While their St. Ouen bid might have failed, the National Trust have still one more coastal land fight to face.
They're one of five bidders locked in a fight for a former farming plot overlooking St. Catherine's Bay. Known as the Pine Walk, the publicly-owned area was controversially put up for sale by the States last month.
While there will still be a presumption against building on the three fields that make up the site following the sale, the National Trust feared that those Planning rules could be loosened under a new owner, leading them to put in a bid for the site, which is valued at up to £100,000.
In a letter, they asked States Members to support them.
Pictured: The National Trust's letter to States Members.
The Minister for Infrastructure, who is responsible for the States Department selling the site, is currently considering the five offers.
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