BE bold and go for it – bring back the towers and get us a world class waterfront.

That was the message from the majority of the 60 States Members, businessmen and other Island representatives who attended a waterfront development workshop yesterday.

‘We don’t want to join the mediocre and mundane party,’ businessman Bob Henkhuzens said.

‘We want something that adds something to Jersey.

We don’t want a compromise.

All we want is a special, unique and outstanding result.’ Architect Eric Kuhne, whose plans for high-rise towers on the waterfront were withdrawn by developers Dandara last month, gave an impassioned speech at the day-long event.

He said any other place with a population the size of Jersey’s would ‘kill’ for an investment of £350 million.

‘Five investors are mobilising more money per person here than anywhere in Britain,’ he said.

‘It is one thing to be curators of the past and another to be looking to the future.

Some think of the waterfront as an invasion.

We think of it as a ray of hope.

There is no way it can sustain itself economically with a policy of building low on the waterfront.’