La Collette Reclamtion Site Phase II - Development Framework

LA COLLETTE RECLAMATION SITE PHASE II - DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK _______________

Lodged au Greffe on 20th June 2000

by the Planning and Environment Committee

______________________________

STATES OF JERSEY

STATES GREFFE

180             2 0 0 0    P . 9 6          

Price code: B

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion -

  to r e fe r to their Act dated 10th November 1992 in which, in accordance with Article 3 of the Island Planning

(Jersey) Law 1964, as amended, they approved Map 3-92 as the development plan for the St. Helier Waterfront area, and their Act dated 12th December 1995 in which they requested the Planning and Environment Committee to bring to the States for approval any alterations to the designated use of land shown on the said Map, and -

  (a ) to approve a framework for the future development of land at La Collette reclamation site, Phase 2, as shown

on drawing number 652/1 to include the designation of -

(i ) an a re a of reclaimed land for the purposes of industrial, storage and warehousing use;

   (ii ) a n a r e a of reclaimed land to be used for super-filling and subsequently for the purposes of providing a

major landscaped feature and public open space;

   (ii i ) a n a r e a of reclaimed land to the south of the tanker berth for the purposes of storing aggregate material

imported through St. Helier Harbour as an option pending the outcome of a feasibility study to assess the viability of this use;

   (iv  )  a n a r e a of reclaimed land for access to the water at all states of the tide and for associated facilities for

marine leisure craft,

su c h d e sig n a tio ns to supersede those shown on Map 3-92 where they differ,

  (b ) to authorise the Greffier of the States to sign the said drawing on behalf of the States.

PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

REPORT

Summary

In December 1995, the States instructed the Planning and Environment Committee, inter alia, to undertake a review of the development plan for La Collette 2. A new framework is needed to guide the development and use of this newly reclaimed land and to provide a sound basis for the consideration of major strategic land use matters. These include the availability of minerals and aggregates, waste management, the provision of land for industrial, warehouse and storage uses, and the provision of land for housing.

The Planning and Environment Committee proposes the adoption of a development framework for the long-term use of the La Collette 2 reclamation site. The proposed framework will also allow the release of developable land in the short-term to effect other strategic planning objectives.

It is considered to be in the Island's best interests that newly-reclaimed land at the La Collette 2 reclamation site is used for the purposes of -

• in d ustrial, warehouse and/or storage use in the short and long-term;

• th e potential importation and storage of aggregates;

• th e continued disposal of inert non-combustible waste for as long as possible into the future through the creation of an area of "superfill" to be used subsequently for the purposes of public open space and to serve as

a landscaped buffer of the site.

The use of part of the site for the purpose of housing is not considered to be appropriate on the grounds that -

• th e creation of safe environment for the provision of residential accommodation in close proximity to a potentially hazardous industrial area would require considerable public expenditure;

• th e existing road network would be unable to accommodate adequately the level of vehicular traffic likely to be generated by the provision of a significant number of homes; and,

• th e use of the land for industrial, warehouse and/or storage offers the potential to relocate existing uses presently located within the existing built-up area of the town, the sites of which may be more appropriately

developed for the purposes of social housing and which may serve to enhance the operational environment and performance of any relocated business.

Background

The decision to reclaim additional land to the south of the La Collette reclamation site was made in the late 1980s by the States when the limits on the tipping capacity of the West of Albert site became apparent. Construction of the outer La Collette Phase 2 breakwater commenced in the early 1990s and was completed in 1995. The tipping of inert non-combustible waste at the site has been ongoing since 1996.

Andrews Downie and Partners were commissioned by the then Island Development Committee to produce a development plan for the St. Helier Waterfront embracing the entire area from West Park to The Dicq. The Plan was, for the most part, approved by the States in November 1992 and became an inset to the Island Plan. This plan proposed that the area to the south of the existing La Collette site be used for mixed commercial use and port activities, and that immediately to the east of the fuel farm a landscaped hill would run due south, from the Le Quesne (T. A). Centre and the JEC La Collette power station to the southern extent of the site, to provide additional tipping capacity and a major landscape feature.

Since 1992 a number of issues have arisen which require the existing development plan to be reviewed. Issues

The management of waste

The  Public  Services  Committee  has  been  working  with  other  departments  of  the  States  to  produce  a  Solid  Waste Management Strategy for the Island, which is presently in draft form and has yet to be formally adopted by that Committee. While in the long-term it is intended that waste minimisation techniques will reduce the amount of inert non-combustible rubbish which is currently tipped at La Collette, current rates of fill give an expected lifetime of ten years filling to the height of the surrounding breakwaters. The incorporation of superfill on the site will extend the lifetime of the tip by up to two further years.

Given the difficulties in finding a satisfactory alternative for the future disposal of inert and non-combustible waste materials, it is considered to be in the Island's best interests to maximise the lifetime of La Collette as a tip site and to incorporate super-filling. This will also enable the creation a landscaped buffer, screening the site from the east, and provide an area of public open space.

The Public Services Committee has for several years been tipping incinerator ash in sealed pits at La Collette 2, and thus far has worked within the parameters established with regard to the initial programme of reclamation in the northern part of the site. Further guidance is now required, with regard to the long-term development framework for the entire site in order to plan for ongoing disposal of ash and other inert waste.

The availability of aggregates

The recent Mineral Strategy, commissioned by the Planning and Environment Committee to examine the long-term strategic land use issues associated with mineral exploitation in the Island, envisages the eventual closure of the quarries at La Gigoulande and at Ronez, once reserves are fully exploited, and the subsequent importation of aggregates to the Island. The suggestion in the Strategy is that a new harbour be created at Ronez to enable this.

The Harbours and Airport Committee has, however, through the Harbour Development Plan currently being produced, identified that it should be possible to import aggregates through St. Helier Harbour as an alternative to Ronez, and will consider the feasibility or otherwise of this potential alternative. It is thus considered extremely important to ensure that the potential option of using St. Helier Harbour, for the purposes of aggregate importation and associated storage, be retained pending the outcome of this feasibility study.

The provision of industrial land

There is a need to provide land for the purposes of light industrial and other commercial uses to maintain and promote a diverse economic base in the Island and La Collette 2 is of long-term strategic importance in this respect.

There is also, however, a particular and pressing need to release industrial land at La Collette 2 in the short-term for a number of reasons.

First, there exist long-standing commitments, to one company in particular, to provide land at La Collette 2, following its relinquishment of land that it had been allocated at the existing La Collette site, which has now been developed for other uses. Other companies have also made expressions of interest to relocate to any land that might become available at La Collette 2 in the short-term. It is considered that significant environmental benefits could be secured through the removal of inappropriate uses in the existing built-up area in addition to assisting the potential for growth and operational efficiency of these businesses.

Second, it is also considered that there exists considerable potential to secure the release of land within the built-up area more suited to the development of social housing through the relocation of existing uses to La Collette 2. This would clearly assist the current and significant requirement to provide housing to meet social need.

The proposed development framework would facilitate the early release of some land already reclaimed without prejudice to the long-term strategic use of the remainder of the site.

Land for housing

The potential use of part of the site for the purposes of providing residential accommodation has been considered: it is theoretically possible to provide up to 400 units of accommodation on the eastern part of the site.

Consultation with the relevant authorities has revealed that a significant amount of housing could only be developed on the site if satisfactory access routes could be provided to effect evacuation in the event of a major incident at La Collette. To achieve this would require the relocation of the fuel farm and Jersey Gas Company to an area south of the La Collette tanker berth: preliminary studies have indicated that the cost of such relocation would be at least £12-15 million.

The capacity of the existing local road network serving La Collette, essentially comprising Commercial Buildings, Mount Bingham and Green Street, to handle the likely increase in traffic generated by the development of a significant volume of housing at La Collette 2 is also considered, by the Public Services Department, to be questionable.

It is considered that the objective of securing land for housing, and particularly housing for social need, is best met by seeking to provide industrial land at La Collette 2, thus offering the potential to release land for housing in the existing built up area of the town, rather than allocating newly reclaimed land for housing at La Collette 2. It is also considered to be illogical to develop housing next to potential bad neighbour' uses at La Collette.

Land for marine-related facilities

In view of the continued growth and demand for space and facilities to serve the marine leisure industry, the Harbours and Airport Committee is seeking to secure the provision a new slipway and associated facilities for marine leisure craft at La Collette 2. The development framework provides scope for land to the east of the site, where there is potential to provide a deep-water slipway, to be set aside for these purposes.

These proposals have been developed in consultation with the Public Services Committee and the Waterfront Enterprise Board.