Island Plan 2022-25: Approval (P.36/2021) – fifty-fifth amendment. St. Brelade’s Bay Parking.

STATES OF JERSEY

ISLAND PLAN 2022-25: APPROVAL (P.36/2021) – FIFTY-FIFTH AMENDMENT

ST. BRELADE'S PARKING

Lodged au Greffe on 12th July 2021 by the Connétable of St. Brelade

STATES GREFFE

2021  P.36 Amd.(55)

ISLAND PLAN 2022-25: APPROVAL (P.36/2021) – FIFTY-FIFTH AMENDMENT ___________

PAGE 2 –

After the words "the draft Island Plan 2022-25" insert the words "except that –

1. within Strategic Proposal 1, after the final bullet point, insert the following additional bullet point –

• "the St. Brelade Bay Improvement Plan";

2. within  Policy  SP1,  after  the  final  paragraph  there  should  be  inserted  the following new paragraph –

"Any development in St. Brelade 's Bay that would involve loss of public car parking or of any customer or staff car parking area on a site in daytime and evening economy use shall not be approved:

1. unless and until a study of car parking facilities in St. Brelade 's Bay is carried  out  as  part  of  a  study  related  to  the  proposed   St. Brelade 's Improvement Plan; and
2. it is in accordance with the recommendations arising from that study."; and

4. within Policy SP2, the following additional paragraph should be inserted after the final paragraph –

"The optimisation of building density in St. Brelade 's Bay shall be subject to the  recommendations  and  guidance  published  in  the   St. Brelade 's  Bay Improvement Plan."

CONNETABLE M.K. JACKSON OF ST. BRÉLADE

Note:  

After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows – THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to approve, in accordance with Article 3(1) of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002, as amended by the Covid-19 (Island Plan) (Jersey) Regulations 2021, the draft Island Plan 2022-25, except that –

1. within Strategic Proposal 1, after the final bullet point, insert the followingadditional bullet point –

• "the St. Brelade Bay Improvement Plan";

2. within  Policy  SP1,  after  the  final  paragraph  there  should  be  inserted  the following new paragraph –

"Any development in St. Brelade 's Bay that would involve loss of public car parking or of any customer or staff car parking area on a site in daytime and evening economy use shall not be approved:

3. unless and until a study of car parking facilities in St. Brelade 's Bay is carried  out  as  part  of  a  study  related  to  the  proposed   St. Brelade 'sImprovement Plan; and

3. within Policy SP2, the following additional paragraph should be inserted afterthe final paragraph –

"The optimisation of building density in St. Brelade 's Bay shall be subject to the  recommendations  and  guidance  published  in  the   St. Brelade 's  Bay Improvement Plan."

REPORT

St Brelade's Bay is a high profile and popular scenic seaside resort that has been identified as a Tourist Destination Area in the draft Island Plan 2022-25.

It also has proved popular for wealthy residents and speculative developers to construct and extend private residences. In the space of ten years, a demand for sites for residential development in St. Brelade 's Bay has prejudiced the possible future acquisition of land in the shoreline zone for public amenity areas or premises for day and evening economy use of its local tourism industry. Land that acquires value for residential development usually becomes unviable to acquire for public amenity or day and evening economy use.

It remains uncertain if Proposal 17 of the draft Island Plan 2022-25 for a St. Brelade 's Bay Improvement Plan will be progressed, or if it is progressed, if that progress will be at a rate or have content that would succeed in curtailing further residential spread at the expense of the Bay's green infrastructure and potential increase of areas supporting future public amenities and daytime and evening economy premises.

The  report  of the  public engagement  exercise carried  out  in connection with  the St. Brelade 's Bay character appraisal, that is part of the core evidence base for the draft Island Plan 2022-25, found:

1. an 'overwhelming' concern that the Bay 'should be for the local community and visitors, not an elite or exclusive residential domain for the ultra-rich as it is increasingly becoming', and
2. a concern expressed by most of the Bay's tourist businesses that 'the tourism offer needs to be supported or tourism businesses will continue to decline'.

The Minister for the Environment's 's stated desire to avoid a 'Costa de St. Brelade ', the interests  of  the  Island's  community  and  its  tourism  industry  are  best  served  by discouraging the optimisation of the density of development of private residences so that tourist buildings and public amenity areas are favoured in terms of their expansion within  the  confines  of  other  policies  applying  to  the  Bay  until  the  proposed Improvement Plan is progressed.

The general positive intent of proposed Policy SP1 is acknowledged. However, the commercial reality of tourist outlets and seaside resorts outside town needing sufficient site or nearby parking (hopefully for more electric vehicles in time) for families and those with mobility assistance (as a minimum) seeking to enjoy the beach and its visitor offering needs to be recognised too.

If office and retail workers are to be encouraged to work in St. Helier , their desire to reach beaches like St. Brelade 's Bay or St. Ouen 's Bay relatively quickly on summer evenings,  when  the  tide  is  at  a  certain  level  to  maximise  swimming  or  surfing enjoyment, makes car parking desirable despite the potential availability of relatively slower public transport. If these workers are driving electric cars, there could be some flexibility in accommodating them in the future.

No detailed studies of car parking facilities in the Bay as a Tourist Destination Area have been published in recent years. Nor an objective proper assessment of present or

anticipated future car parking needs. Proper studies need to be carried out before any more car parking land is lost in these areas, as occurred in the case of the recently approved development of a popular restaurant site on the shoreline of St. Brelade 's Bay.

Financial and manpower implications  

There are no identified financial or manpower implications in relation to the proposed amendments.

Child Rights Impact Assessment implications  

These amendments have been assessed in relation to the Bridging Island Plan CRIA. Improved  well-being  of  children  will  arise  from  improved  public  access  to,  and improved enjoyment of, a public beach and recreation area.