Cannabis site ordered to remove unauthorised kit

Northern Leaf must remove the unauthorised kit unless it receives planning permission

A medical cannabis farm has been given six months to remove unauthorised equipment from its site in Jersey.

One resident said she and others had been campaigning against noise pollution and strong smells from the Northern Leaf site at St Lawrence and St Mary for three years.

Government officers issued an enforcement notice requiring the removal of a refrigeration system and a large wall that had been built without planning permission, unless Northern Leaf sought planning approval and reduced the noise.

The company, which had an appeal against the order dismissed, said it was "confident" it could meet the conditions within the timeframe.

'It's been terrible'

As part of Northern Leaf's appeal, an independent planning inspector conducted a review of the site.

It found there had been a "breach of planning law" and that nearby residents were "being unreasonably affected as a result of the unauthorised development".

Deputy Steve Luce, the minister for environment, said the chillers "made a lot of noise" that were "above acceptable levels and constitute a nuisance".

He said he agreed with the inspector's recommendation to dismiss the appeal and give Northern Leaf six months to comply.

The company said it remained "committed to being good neighbours and operating within the bounds of the law".

Resident Penelope Bromley said it was "too upsetting" to talk about

Campaigner Penelope Bromley said she and her neighbours were pleased with the decision but found it hard to talk about.

She said: "It's too upsetting when people ask us questions, we brush them aside a bit because you don't want to go into detail anymore."

Ms Bromley said she had started going away on "one-month stints in my campervan, just to get away" from the smell and noise.

"I can't sleep, you can't think straight, so you just have to get away from it all. It has had a huge impact on our lives - it's been terrible," she said.

Mr Luce said that while residents might feel that six months was a long time to wait for a resolution, he had "to be fair to both sides".

"I don't want to close Northern Leaf down overnight, I want to give them the opportunity to rectify the situation they find themselves in."