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3.10 Deputy A.K.F. Green of St. Helier of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding the disposal of green waste at Warwick Farm:
Given that on 23rd January 2009 residents were told that the proposed disposal of green waste site at Warwick Farm was to be a temporary arrangement, will the Minister explain why residents have now been advised that this could become permanent and why assurances regarding skip movements at weekends are not to be kept? Could he also advise the estimated costs of the new green waste infrastructure at Warwick Farm including the management of traffic?
The Connétable of St. Brelade (The Minister for Transport and Technical
Services):
I attended a meeting with local residents on 23rd January 2009, and indeed yesterday morning, where they were advised that the planning application for the proposed public green waste reception site at Warwick Farm was for 3 years and this remains the case. The reason for this temporary application was to enable the consideration of 4 short-listed locations for a permanent site linked to the capital allocation of £1.4 million in 2010 for a permanent reuse and recycling centre. One of these 4 remaining locations is Warwick Farm, the others being the current Bellozanne site, a site at Howard Davis Farm and the former green waste reception site in St. Peter. The outcome of this short-listing process was the subject of a public ministerial decision by my predecessor, as Minister for Transport and Technical Services, on 11th December 2007. The ministerial decision T2007/0113 refers. The requirement for movements of green waste containers at the weekends has always been made clear. My department undertook to ensure that such movements did not take place before
- a.m. on weekends and this undertaking has been, and will continue to be, respected. The estimated capital costofthe temporary greenwaste site at Warwick Farm is in the region of £200,000. The estimated revenue cost including the management of traffic is £180,000 per annum.
- Senator J.L. Perchard:
Could I just be clear? Did the Minister say that this was an arrangement for 3 years and then went onto say: "this temporary arrangement" or "this would be possibly one of a number of sites on a permanent basis"? I am not quite clear about that. Could the Minister clarify?
The Connétable of St. Brelade :
This application was on a 3 year basis. I think it is fair to say that the department will have to review the situation during this period. There are a lot of permutations in that we have changes going on, certainly we will have changes going on in Bellozanne Valley due to the relocation of the E.f.W. (Energy from Waste) plant when the new one is completed. That may bring about different issues and it may give different opportunities which we may take advantage of. So, in terms of practicality, it seems to me that the ideal way forward is to have a 3 year arrangement there and review it at the end of that period.
- Deputy J.A. Hilton of St. Helier :
I met with residents, officers of T.T.S. (Transport and Technical Services) and the Ministers yesterday to discuss the transfer of the domestic green waste facility from La Collette to Warwick Farm. Among the many issues discussed yesterday was the impact on residents of Sunday working. Would the Minister please consider no Sunday working or if he feels this is not possible, a later starting time in order to give the residents some peace and quiet which surely they are entitled to on a Sunday?
The Connétable of St. Brelade :
While I respect the needs of residents in all these situations, it must not go unnoticed that Warwick Farm is a commercial site belonging to the States and it must be used to its full potential. It is almost languishing in a state of unuse at the moment and the nearby residents did bring up several important points yesterday, and I think the most important was that of traffic management on the main road and also pedestrian crossing on the main road as well as circulation issues. I find it difficult to reconcile a
situation where neighbours have a field in front of them and they are trying to control the use of this site which is an important commercial site. I cannot agree that it
should be closed on Sundays. The public have a requirement to deposit their waste from a reasonable time on a Sunday morning. Many people are morning people as opposed to night people and I do not see that we can possibly put any restriction in place. While I respect the needs of neighbours, and we will put up suitable screening so that any views are not spoilt in any way, I think they have to understand this is a commercial site and it needs to be used sensibly.
- Deputy J.A. Hilton:
Yes, I accept that is a commercial site but it has not had the usage that it is going to have in weekends when the facility transfers, and all I am asking is that surely people are entitled to some peace and quiet on at least one day of the week. The proposal is to open this facility at 8.00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. If the Minister cannot see his way to closing the facility on a Sunday, would he please consider opening the facility a little bit later in the morning? Thank you. [Approbation].
The Connétable of St. Brelade :
We have agreed that skip movements will be restricted, certainly in the early hours, but I would be one for taking my waste to a site on a Sunday morning at 8.00 a.m. and I see nothing wrong with that during the growing period. This does not happen during the winter period and I think that during the busy times of weekends and such, it is very restrictive and I do not think it is a great encroachment on the neighbours.
Deputy J.A. Hilton:
I am sure the Minister would not agree to that if the facility was 10 yards away from his house. [Approbation]