New location for inert waste dump 'may be needed'
BBCGuernsey's States may need to find an alternative location to dump inert waste, the president of the States Trading Supervisory Board has warned.
Last year, deputies agreed to stockpile waste at Longue Hougue before dumping it at Black Rock at the north of the Bridge.
In an update to States members, Deputy Mark Helyar said concerns had been raised by the harbour master "that reclamation at Black Rock may increase navigational risk because of changes to already strong tidal flows in that area".
He told politicians more analysis was needed before any land reclamation was started at Black Rock and stated that an "interim" solution may be needed to avoid "compromising shipping at St Sampson's".
According to the States, inert waste is "typically concrete, tarmac, bricks, stone and ceramics" - any material which does not "readily react or decompose when exposed to the elements".
The Guernsey Development Agency (GDA) is currently looking at plans for a multimillion-pound development at Black Rock once land reclamation at the site is completed.
Concerns have been raised about the project by some politicians, including Development and Planning Authority Vice-President Lee van Katwyk.
Deputy Helyar confirmed that stockpiling of inert waste had taken place at Longue Hougue for the last 18 months.
"That is expensive, operationally inefficient, and capacity is finite, so we will seek to extend the existing planning permission beyond September 2027, but that underlines the urgency of resolving the next facility and delivering it."
He told the States that a request had been made to the committees for the Environment and Infrastructure and for Policy and Resources (P&R) to say further data collection, modelling and analysis was needed before firm decisions were taken on the future disposal of inert waste.
According to Helyar, that request had been approved by P&R.
When challenged as to where the waste could go if not Black Rock, he suggested Longue Hougue South could be investigated.
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