Farnham Backs Public Ownership of Jersey Golf Course
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- Les Mielles Golf & Country Club in St Peter was put on the market last month with a guide price of £9.95m, triggering the public ownership campaign.
- Matt Topman launched a petition calling on government to purchase the site, return most of the land to nature, and convert the clubhouse into a national centre — it has gathered more than 600 signatures.
- Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham told BBC Jersey he "fancied it coming into public ownership somehow" and said he wants to discuss it with the National Trust, calling the site a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity.
- Topman cited previous interventions at Plémont and Grève de Lecq as successful precedents where Jersey's government purchased land and restored it to nature.
- Farnham said "there's public money if we decide to use it" and noted wealthy residents in Jersey's "21E community" have already expressed willingness to help fund any purchase.
- The National Trust of Jersey declined to comment on Farnham's proposal.
- Farnham previously arranged the purchase of Cafe Romany at Grève de Lecq following similar community calls to protect the surrounding area.
Why it matters: The site sits within Jersey's national park and is large enough that its fate will materially shape the island's protected green space. With the Chief Minister publicly on board, wealthy residents already willing to contribute, and a private sale potentially imminent, the £9.95m price tag creates a narrow window for government or the National Trust to act before a developer does.
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