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Field 1114, La Grande Route De St. Jean, St. Helier - sale of Organically Grown Food

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FIELD 1114, LA GRANDE ROUTE DE ST. JEAN, ST. HELIER - SALE OF ORGANICALLY GROWN FOOD _______________

Lodged au Greffe on 7th November 2000 by Senator P.V.F. Le Claire

______________________________

STATES OF JERSEY

STATES GREFFE

180             2 0 0 0   P . 1 9 2          

Price code: A

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion -

to e x p ress their support for the grant of permission by the Planning and Environment Committee for the

construction of an entrance into Field 1114, La Grande Route de St. Jean, St.  Helier, which is situated in the Agricultural Priority Zone, and the construction of a shed for the purpose of selling organically grown food to the general public.

SENATOR P.V.F. LE CLAIRE

REPORT

The first I heard about the difficulties that Mr. Adair was facing in his attempt to get planning permission for his farm shop was when I met him receiving signatures to a petition in Queen Street. He was talking to a steady stream of people who seemed to find no logic to the difficulties he was encountering. I must say, I agree with the majority of people who in this Island watch the demise of places that are of great public interest, due to too little strength in Planning and Government intervention on major projects. The one-man farmer obeying the law, however, suffers the penalty of being too law-abiding and too honest to get ahead in this nonsensical society. It is in essence about selling locally grown organic food to people who could park and purchase amounts that would ensure healthy food, from a healthy environment, contributing to the attack on inflation and the retention on Island, of monies earned and spent here.

The recent articles in the Jersey Evening Post highlight the insanity of our current inflexible machinery of Government in respect to this case. In the Opinion column for the issue concerning Mr. Adair in October 2000 the author states - "Planning say that their hands are tied, in the established policy - enshrined in the Island Plan - prevents them from giving Mr. Adair permission to build. They also say that making an exception would set a dangerous precedent.

That said, it seems that if the Committee could bring themselves to classify the proposed cabin as a farm shop - which manifestly, is exactly what it would be - it would not fall foul of the regulations.

To Mr. Adair, and indeed to anyone who wants to buy organic produce in the countryside, the present controversy is essentially about commercial freedom. In the wider context it is about the inflexibility of our political system and its frequent inability to reach decisions, which the man in the street would regard as common sense solutions to relatively simple problems".

I hope to persuade the seven politicians collectively, the reason for Planning and Environment to accept my request and ask for your support in this matter.

Note

This proposition has no direct implications for the financial and manpower resources of the States.