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The future of a popular cider, spirit and sausage maker is in doubt after planning permission to change the use of a shed and courtyard into a seasonal restaurant was refused - even though there were no objections.
The owners of La Petite Robeline in St. Ouen, the home of La Robeline Cider Company, applied for retrospective permission to convert an existing shed into a kitchen and construct a lean-to extension to support the catering business.
But it was concerns around parking that prompted the Planning Committee to reject the application – specifically, a plan to create a new access into a field close to the site by knocking down a section of granite wall.
The committee of politicians – chaired by Trinity Constable Philip Le Sueur, with Deputies Graham Truscott, Steve Luce and Mary Le Hegarat sitting on Thursday – were all unhappy about the plan to break through the wall.
Despite expressing support for the business, its plan to open a seasonal restaurant, and the other elements of the application, the committee unanimously refused it as the access proposal was an integral part.
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After the decision, the owners of the La Petite Robeline, Richard and Sarah Matlock, were visibly disappointed, as were their supporters at the Planning Committee meeting, including former Chief Minister Frank Walker, Jersey Business’s Head of Hospitality and Tourism Simon Soar, and Genuine Jersey Chief Executive John Garton.
A representative of Santander International, which has used the site for corporate events, spoke in support at the meeting, as did neighbour Brendan McMahon, who said, in theory, he had most to lose from the application, but he fully supported it.
No one objected to the application at the meeting.
With La Robeline’s outside catering business grinding to a halt during the pandemic, Mr and Mrs Matlock began to use their ‘Cider Shed’ as an occasional restaurant on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between April and September.
They also hosted private lunches and dinners for corporates and other customers.
They ran the seasonal restaurant successfully through 2021; mistakenly believing that they did not need planning permission to extend the cider processing shed and change the use of an existing outbuilding; hence the need for retrospective approval.
However, the restaurant has remained closed this season, awaiting the decision of the committee.
Pictured: La Petite Robeline is at the end of a small lane overlooking Mont Pinel in St. Ouen.
The Planning Department had recommended that the group of politicians refuse the application.
This was based on three factors: that the use of the existing shed as a restaurant was not “an essential element” of its approved use as a cider-making facility; that a commercial flue above the kitchen extension did not protect or improve the landscape character; and the creation of a banque in a field to screen parked cars would lead to a permanent loss of an agricultural field.
However, it was the proposal for the wall that convinced the committee to unanimously reject the plan.
Deputy Luce said: “I am not at all surprised at the high demand for what this company provides; it is a unique island business so it may need to look for a unique transport solution. It is not right to destroy a part of Jersey in order to park cars in a corner of a field.”
At the same Planning Committee meeting, the politicians did approve an application by the owners of the nearby La Robeline property to convert outbuildings into six self-catered cottages with parking and storage.
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