Farnham backs public ownership of golf course site

Jersey's Chief Minister has backed the idea of a golf course site in St Peter coming into public ownership.

Les Mielles Golf & Country Club was put on the market last month with a guide price of £9.95m.

A petition has been launched, calling for it to be purchased by government and returned to nature.

In response, Lyndon Farnham said he "fancied it coming into public ownership somehow".

The petition, started by Matt Topman, has received more than 600 signatures.

In his pitch to islanders, Topman said he wanted government to "explore funding to buy it, return most of the land to nature with an education and activities element, and convert the clubhouse into a national centre - before it is lost to private development".

He cited previous interventions at Plémont and Grève de Lecq as examples where this has been done successfully.

"It's such a large parcel of land in our National Park and it's come up for sale at this time so there's a little bit of urgency to get the ball rolling," he said.

Topman said he had no strong view on what should be done with the area but that nature should be a key part.

"Some sort of re-wilding because of its setting would be lovely...whether it's integrated with a golf course or change of use, it's an open canvass and it's a once in a generation opportunity."

Topman said he would be equally pleased if a private investor would take on the site, but "the petition was a good vehicle to start the conversation".

In an interview with BBC Jersey, Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham was asked whether his government would consider buying the site.

"I fancy that coming into public ownership somehow," he said.

Farnham said he was keen to speak to the National Trust about it.

"There's a great opportunity, if you look at the Simon Sand area along to Les Mielles, to create an area of outstanding natural beauty".

"That's something we can certainly take a look at" he said.

Farnham previously arranged for the purchase of Cafe Romany at Greve de Lecq following similar calls to protect the surrounding area.

With a guide price of £9.95m, Farnham said there were a number of possibilities that could be explored in any such purchase.

"There's public money if we decide to use it, there are other options as well with the National Trust and I've had a number of people in our 21E community, the wealthier residents, who are very keen to help contribute to that".

The National Trust of Jersey declined to comment at this stage.

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