Scrap metal recycler seeks permission for taller boundary fence
- Guernsey Recycling Group seeks planning permission for a five-metre steel fence at its Bulwer Avenue scrap metal facility
- The replacement fence is needed after damage to the existing 3.7-metre structure allowed metal to escape onto Guernsey Water land
- The new fence will comprise chequered steel plating to three metres, topped with two metres of steel mesh along a 32.5-metre boundary
- Both Guernsey Water and environmental regulators have confirmed their support for the proposed development
- The facility is one of six licensed waste processing sites operated by Guernsey Recycling Group across the island
Guernsey Recycling Group has applied for planning permission to replace a damaged boundary fence at its scrap metal facility in St Sampson's with a taller, more robust structure.
The company is seeking approval to erect a five-metre steel fence along the western boundary of Guernsey Scrap Metal on Bulwer Avenue, which abuts Guernsey Water's Longue Hougue reservoir.
The existing fence, comprising three metres of steel mesh supported by a 0.7-metre concrete upstand, has become damaged in one section. This breach allowed metal to escape from the site onto Guernsey Water land, though the material has since been retrieved.
The proposed replacement fence will consist of chequered steel plating to a height of three metres, topped with steel mesh construction extending a further two metres. The structure will run approximately 32.5 metres along the boundary.
According to the application documents submitted to the States of Guernsey Development and Planning Authority, the new fence will be constructed inside the location of the original, with the existing fence remaining in place during construction to maintain boundary protection.
The fence will be anchored into the concrete ground using engineer-designed holding-down metal plates and bolts. Guernsey Recycling Group states the specification will create a more robust construction than the current fence, better preventing material escape, less susceptible to damage and weathering, and offering greater longevity.
Guernsey Scrap Metal operates as a licensed scrap metal processing facility, accepting mixed metal waste and processing it through specialist heavy plant and machinery. The site produces clean steel, clean non-ferrous metals and non-ferrous metal-rich residues, which are exported to mainland Europe and the UK for further processing.
The facility is one of six fully licensed waste processing sites operated by Guernsey Recycling Group across the island. Site operations are regulated by the States of Guernsey Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation under a waste management licence and working plan.
The site is completely concreted with an impermeable surface, bunded and intercepted to prevent pollution egress. The boundary with the reservoir varies in character, with the narrowest point at the north-west being a steep slope down to the water. The slope face was reinforced with underpinning and concrete in 2010 to prevent erosion.
Moving southwards, the boundary widens and levels to a grassy area, with the gradient to the reservoir face becoming less steep.
Guernsey Scrap Metal directly abuts St Sampson's Reservoir to the west, St Sampson's Churchyard to the north, Mont Crevelt Road to the east and Rubis fuel supplies to the south.
The application, submitted by director Faye Grime in June, states that both Guernsey Water and the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation have been consulted and have confirmed their support for the proposed development.
Q&A
Q: Why does Guernsey Scrap Metal need a new fence?
A: The existing steel mesh fence has become damaged in one section, which allowed metal to escape from the site onto Guernsey Water land. The company wants to replace the entire fence to prevent this happening again.
Q: How tall will the new fence be?
A: The new fence will be five metres tall, comprising three metres of chequered steel plating topped with two metres of steel mesh. This compares to the current fence height of 3.7 metres.
Q: Who supports the planning application?
A: Both Guernsey Water and the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation have been consulted and have confirmed their support for the proposed development.
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