For regular readers of our web site and especially for visitors to the
island (who may be wondering what exactly our Government is doing to it)
we thought that a look back in time would be useful. The main picture
below was one of a series commissioned by Save Our Shoreline in 1994 prior
to the debate in which the reclamation site south and east of La Collette
was dramatically extended in 1995 (see inset photo). Already by the time
this photo was taken, La Collette Phase 1 was developed on land which
had been reclaimed using precious sand from offshore banks and other unidentified
materials. SOS campaigned to keep the rest of the bay at Havre des Pas
free of development and reclamation and also to designate it a Site of
Special Interest. SOS collected 11,000 signatures on a petition which
was presented to the States. Our government rejected the petition but
granted our request for the bay to be covered by a Marine Protection Zone,
which also extends around the Island. La Collette today forms part of
the western boundary of the Channel Island's first Ramsar Site, a Wetland
Area of International Importance, designated in November 2000.
You
can also see the JEC culvert which discharges warm water to the sea.
Regulation of this discharge is questionable, the incinerator will
use the same culvert (now running under the reclamation site) to discharge
its cooling water and will require a new permit to do so - more on
that later. In our January edition,
you can see how the culvert carried toxic leachate to the sea from
the incinerator excavation. The main photo shows the now buried precious
reefs and gullies in the foreground and centre, a zone once recognised
as having the highest intertidal biodiversity in the Bailiwick. Home
to an extraordinary number of marine species, a significant part of
our South East Coast mosaic of habitats, well loved by generations
of Jersey folk. A unique beach has been buried beneath a landfill
site.
Prior to the start of works on La Collette Phase 2, a site valuation
was prepared for the Crown. It was accepted in August 1993 to be
"unlikely that the unreclaimed land has a positively residual value.”
Consequently 81 acres of sea bed south of La Collette (c.182 vergées
or 32.8 hectares) were regarded as “unproductive agricultural land
without the benefit of planning permission" and “valued accordingly”
by an external commercial agent.
£275,000 equates to £0.84 per square metre or £0.08 per square foot.
Jersey signed up to the Ramsar Convention in 1976. SOS will be providing
a dossier to Lord Carswell's review of the role of the Island's Crown
Officers.
This small section of the Phase 2 reclamation can be located on the
first picture by referencing the fuel farm. The picture was taken
in 1997, 2 years after incinerator ash was at last deemed a significant
hazard and ash pits were made to contain it. The layout of the pits
can be clearly seen. The incinerator now sits adjacent to the pits
to the northeast of the fuel farm, in a Buncefield
Zone.
West of Albert, and in the early parts of La Collette Phase 2, toxic
incinerator ash from Bellozanne was simply spread on the beach and/or
mixed in to the fill. This practice was the invention of the then
Chief Officer of Public Services John Mulready, who deemed it perfectly
safe. SOS were among those who vigorously protested, but our objections
fell on deaf ears until 1995.
HOW
SAFE ARE THE ASH PITS?
The
picture below shows how the ash pits were filled and gives us concern
as to their current integrity. Mixed fly and bottom ash containing
large chunks of metal 'sharps' was spread on a layer of sand which
covered a butyl liner. Then another layer of sand was spread on the
ash and excavators ran back and forth over this to compact the ash
down. This happened until the pits were full, whereupon they were
"sealed". The process was then repeated (superfilling). Given the
weight of the 'hill' above, the vast hydropneumatic forces acting below
and the relatively thin linings and sand layers, we suggest, leaching
of heavy metals into the marine environment is very likely. It was
one of these pits that became damaged during the construction of the
incinerator on Feb 13th 2009. See two pictures here,
taken by the Project Manager's representative at the time.
ZEPHRYUS UPDATE
The
new Zephryus Waterfront development of 59 apartments, highlighted
in our February News, has been passed. The good news is that the Planning
Minister has taken on board our concerns and planning conditions have
been applied to the consent.
To summarise: Save Our Shoreline will be consulted regarding the preparation
of the Construction Environment Management Plan (CEMP). The implementing
and auditing of the CEMP will be the resposibility of a third party
co-ordinator nominated and approved by the contractor, the developer
and the Minister. (Previously, as seen at La Collette, this was not
the case, the ability and independence of the consultant responsible
was compromised, and things went badly wrong and pollution resulted).
In addition. the new site will be sealed from the sea by secant piling
down to bedrock. Any residual seawater that enters the site will be
properly dealt with and tested for contamination.
This welcome decision by the Planning Minister marks a milestone in
Waterfront safety. The precedent is now set for future developments,
the next one being Castle Quay 2.
RAMSAR
MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
The
first meeting of the re-formed Ramsar Management Authority took place
on 4th March 2010 and over 30 interested stakeholders from NGOs, members
of relevant States Departments and the public attended.
The previously circulated agenda was replaced on the night and Assistant
Planning and Environment Minister, Deputy Rob Duhamel chaired the
meeting. It is to be hoped that Deputy Duhamel has changed his views
since he voted against the Ramsar Designation of the Offshore Reefs
in the States debate in July 2004, one of only three States Members
to do so. (See the vote here).
We hope that the Authority will soon be able to address many pressing
issues and we will be highlighting these and reporting on the next
meeting.
Save Our Shoreline March 2010
working to protect our marine environment.
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