From Don Austin.
AMID all the doubt and anxiety over the proposed Esplanade sunken road and super financial district, I find myself thinking: ‘Is all this still a good idea?’

Had this masterplan been implemented some 20 years ago, it would have been right for its time; but today, with rising sea levels an absolute certainty, the creation of a sunken road on a major coastal thoroughfare seems less than a good idea.

Since we already have an excellently engineered road and underpass that works well and is paid for, could we not work around that by creating elevated pedestrian precincts with trees growing up from ground level through suitably large openings?

In this way, present car parking areas could be retained, with office and other accommodation, as desired, raised on pillars from car park level. Disturbance to existing arrangements would be minimised and a similar ambience created as visualised in the original plan.

And we would not be saddled with the £500,000 annual standing charge on a sunken road.

This Island, and indeed the world, is beginning to face problems which for all of us can only mean retrenchment and less physically expensive ways of living – not necessarily less fulfilling! Christopher Davey’s excellent letter of 7 July explains why.

For the moment, however, and realistically, our finance industry is the only means of funding the major portion of the services we need (and I applaud Peter Body’s recent appreciation of its vital importance).

In spite of sporadic protestations to the contrary, many Islanders are reluctant to rock the boat, seeming more inclined to soldier on with our present Establishment than risk possibly less capable – and untried – hands in future troubled waters.

In short, it seems that while there appears no particular obligation upon us to adopt the original Hopkins plan, we would be well advised to ensure the retention in office of those who are proud to understand and promote our Island finance industry, for the benefit of all our future welfare.
Merestones,
Parcq de l’Oeillere,
La Pulente, St Brelade.