Proposal to Convert Restaurant into Holiday Let Rejected

The Planning Committee has rejected a proposal to convert part of a Jersey restaurant into a self-catering holiday let.

The application followed the closure of Nude Food at La Pulente in November 2023, after owner Nadia Miller cited financial difficulties. The plans, submitted by Nude Food Dunes, included transforming part of the building into a two-bedroom flat, while converting the remaining space into a kiosk-style café and reopening the adjacent public toilets, which were also closed last year.

Ms. Miller has stated her intention to appeal the decision.

The proposal faced significant opposition, with a planning officer recommending refusal and the majority of the 124 public comments also opposing the development. In July, around 250 people protested on the beach near the site, opposing what they described as “overdevelopment and privatisation” in the Coastal National Park.

Efforts to sell the restaurant, located in the protected area, have been unsuccessful. The asking price was reduced from £3.3m to £2.2m over the past year, according to Mike Smith, director of the architect and design firm behind the plans. Smith argued that the redevelopment would align with policies in the Island Plan, supporting the visitor economy and ensuring the building’s future use to “avoid dereliction.”

However, Planning Committee Chairman Constable Philip Le Sueur emphasised the need to prioritize protecting the sensitive environment of the Coastal National Park. He also stated that the committee could not base its decision on the financial struggles of a private company. The committee concluded there was no policy justification to override the recommendation to refuse the application.