Response to Environment re Manora, Albecq, Planning Proposals. Extracted from a letter to Environment dated Sunday 17th January 2010 re Manora, Albecq, planning proposals:-
"Following representation from some of our members we wish our concerns to be considered by your department as they reach a decision.
Manora is a house we believe built prior to 1930 and has little redeeming features save that it sits on a very prominent site overlooking one of our most picturesque bays.
The Trust sees little merit in preserving the present building, however because of its prominent position it is most essential that any replacement blends into the landscape and fits in with existing buildings in the vicinity.
The Plans which have been submitted show a contemporary building with glass elevations and flat roofs at different levels. The size has also been increased from the present by some forty percent.
There is nothing wrong with contemporary buildings if they sit comfortably within their location however, we believe that the proposed roof lines would give a hardening to the hillside and not blend into the headland. Any development should work in harmony with features and not try to clash with them. We believe that this proposal would have the opposite effect and dominate the headland.
There have been many contemporary buildings constructed recently which fit well into their environment, a good example is the new house below Fort Saumarez, St Peters, the use of shallow pitched roofing helping the house to sit comfortable on the site.
The Trust feels that whilst this imaginative proposal might be appropriate in a different location, it is not the kind of design that we should be promoting on one of Guernsey’s most prominent headland.
I trust that you will take our representation into account when considering this application and that particular attention is made to policies RCE 10, 11 and most especially 12 in reaching your decision."
Martin Ozanne
Vice-President
for Council, National Trust of Guernsey