Crossland Homes have tentatively welcomed the idea advanced by Hopkins Architects to bury Route de la Libération in order to link the waterfront with town, as have Island Developments, who are developing both the island site and Esplanade Square.
Initial estimates by Hopkins suggest that their plan could theoretically increase the square footage of development plots available from two to three million.
But Crossland say that they are opposed to the ‘proposed urban sprawl’ suggested in the plan, something they believe will reduce the amount of open spaces and gardens.
Ian Slack, managing director of Crossland Homes, said: ‘Burying the road is a great idea in principle.
My concern is who will pay for the work.
Since we don’t believe that there is commercial demand to expand the area for development, if the States want the road to be buried it should commit to making that investment itself.
‘However, we are against the urban sprawl of narrow streets proposed in the Hopkins plan.
The reduction in public space, especially the loss of the gardens, is against the vision we have had for the site for the last two and a half years.’
