Government pays £75k for foreshore refund row

Two men were fined more than £50,000 in 2015 as their homes "encroached" onto the foreshore

The government has paid back two home owners up to £75,000 with a 3% interest rate after a case reports recommendations were approved.

Julian Mallinson and Alan Luce were fined more than £50,000 in 2015 as their homes "encroached" onto Jersey's foreshore.

In 2015, the government started fining people who had ladders from their garden down to the beach after the Crown gifted the land to the island.

A complaints panel board in 2018 sided with the men that they had been treated unfairly and in 2024 infrastructure minister Andy Jehan authorised refunds to Mr Mallinson and Mr Luce.

Mr Jehan commissioned a report by Deputy Sir Philip Bailache to review the 2018 findings - he agreed with the complaints panel that JPH had not acted fairly when taking the money and that JPH had been "unjust and oppressive".

Mr Bailache said a 3% interest rate per annum should be applied to the repayments, providing Mr Mallinson with interest of £6,389 and a total payment of £32,114 and Mr Luce with £7,905 and a total payment of £42,293.

He also suggested that Mr Jehan should accompany the additional interest with "an apology on behalf of the Government of Jersey".