THERE are obvious reasons why the Constable of St Helier, Simon Crowcroft, deserves support in his attempt to block the conversion of La Folie Inn into luxury flats with their own moorings.

The most obvious of these reasons is the nature of the old pub building and the adjacent property, currently occupied by the Jersey Sub-aqua Club. The pub might have closed in 2004 and it might have remained vacant ever since, but dating from the early 17th century it is undoubtedly an historic structure and a valuable part of the Island’s heritage.

There is, too, its more recent heritage. A great number of Islanders will have fond memories of the days when La Folie was the fishermen’s pub par excellence, its bar often full of larger-then-life characters who earned their livings from the sea or in the port area.

But there are perhaps even more compelling reasons why the redevelopment of La Folie and the area nearby should be resisted in the form that is, apparently, being proposed by the Jersey Development Company, the body replacing the Waterfront Enterprise Board.

To begin with, as Mr Crowcroft stresses, a quango such as the JDC should never be in a position to seal the fate of a property such as La Folie without the approval of the States. To allow the luxury flats plan to advance further without open political scrutiny would present the new body with a licence to sell off any of the Island’s family silver as it saw fit without questions being asked.

Secondly, there appears to be a regrettable tendency for prime parts of the Jersey landscape to be considered for development provided that the magic word ‘luxury’ appears in a developer’s proposals. As far as La Folie is concerned, Mr Crowcroft and others might be more open to the idea of redevelopment – sensitively carried out – if the parts of the site currently lying vacant were to be used for ordinary accommodation for ordinary people.

General development on the Waterfront has already landed the area – and the Island – with many buildings that are both ugly and inappropriate. Neither the States nor the general public can afford to stand by and witness even the possibility of similar mistakes being made in the most historic part of St Helier Harbour.