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WQ.293/2024
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
BY DEPUTY J. RENOUF OF ST. BRELADE
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 16th SEPTEMBER 2024 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 23rd SEPTEMBER 2024
Question
"Further to the response to Oral Question155/2024, will the Minister advise –
- when and why work on the West of Island Master plan was removed from the work programme;
- what, if anything, has replaced it;
- when he considers work on the West of Island Master plan will commence, further to the response to Written Question 40/2024;
- the reasons behind the delay in the St. Brelade 's Bay Improvement Plan and when it will now be delivered; and
- the basis for the lack of communication to the elected representatives of St. Brelade for the aforementioned delay?"
Answer
- The development of a west of island planning framework remains part of the work programme to be undertaken as part of the preparatory work to inform the next island plan review.
Its commencement and progression is, and has always been, subject to the availability and capacity of resources for it to be undertaken.
- There are essentially three current work programmes associated with the maintenance and development of the island's planning policy framework. These can be summarised as:
• implementation of the bridging Island Plan (the review of existing and the development of new supplementary planning guidance);
• reviewing the island plan review process and the form of the island plan; and
• preparation of a new evidence base to inform the next island plan.
Work is being undertaken to progress all three of these work programmes within available capacity and resources.
In addition, other priorities have arisen as a result of decisions of the Assembly, which have impacted the progression of these work programmes. This includes the priority afforded to the reform of the planning service which is identified as one of the Government's 13 strategic priorities.
- There is a range of work that is required to be undertaken to inform the preparation of the next island Plan. Work is underway to progress elements of this, as resources allow.
It is not currently possible to provide a definitive programme for the commencement and progression of the development of a west of island planning framework. This will be dependent upon the availability and capacity of resources for it to be undertaken, relative to other priorities.
Progression of this work may also be affected by the Government's objective to curb growth in public sector spending and to rely less on consultants.
- Bridging Island Plan Proposal 18 – St Brelade's Bay improvement plan states that the Minister for the Environment will develop such a plan by December 2023.
A brief for this work was agreed by the Minister, in consultation with elected parish representatives, in August 2023, with a view to its delivery by the end of that year.
Progression of the work was, however, rescheduled to enable consultation with all stakeholders with an interest in St Brelade's Bay, including visitors and other non-residents, over the summer and shoulder months. With the agreement of the elected parish representatives the timetable for the work to be undertaken was rescheduled to allow completion of the project in 2024.
Since that time, and in accord with the new Government's priorities, resources have been focused elsewhere, as set out above, and this work remains to be progressed.
Future progression of this work may also be affected by the Government's objective to curb growth in public sector spending and to rely less on consultants.
- As stated at (d), the initial reprograming of the work was the subject of engagement and agreement of elected representatives.
The subsequent reprioritisation of the work was communicated to the Connétable of St Brelade, on the basis that he had sponsored an amendment ((P36/2021) – eighty-sixth amendment) to the bridging Island Plan relating to the proposal to develop the St Brelade's Bay improvement plan; and also to Deputy Scott , given her consistent and close interest in the area.