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STATES OF JERSEY
ISLAND PLAN 2022-25: APPROVAL (P.36/2021) – FOURTY-FOURTH AMENDMENT
(P.36/2021 AMD.(44)) – AMENDMENT
POLICY H4
Lodged au Greffe on 28th February 2022 by the Minister for the Environment
STATES GREFFE
2021 P.36/2021 Amd.(44)Amd
ISLAND PLAN 2022-25: APPROVAL (P.36/2021) – FOURTY-FOURTH AMENDMENT (P.36/2021 AMD.(44)) – AMENDMENT
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After the words "Residential developments" insert the words "of five or more dwellings", and, after the words "right-sizing", insert the words "where appropriate".
THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Note: After this amendment, the forty fourth amendment would read as follows –
After the words "the draft Island Plan 2022-25" insert the words "except that within Policy H4, after the words latest evidence of need.' There should be inserted the words, Residential developments of five or more dwellings should, in particular, include a proportion of smaller homes to encourage and enable right-sizing', where appropriate.
After the amendment, if amended by this amendment, the main 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 After the words "the draft Island Plan 2022-25" insert the words "except that within Policy H4, after the words latest evidence of need.' There should be inserted the words, Residential developments of five or more dwellings should, in particular, include a proportion of smaller homes to encourage and enable right-sizing', where appropriate.
REPORT
Amendment 44 has been considered by the Minister in his post-consultation response (SR24), by the planning inspectors as part of the examination in public (see Inspectors' Report p.45), and again by the Minister in his post-examination report.
Both the Minister and the inspectors support the objective of this proposed change, to require more open market residential development to better meet the island's needs for a mix of housing types and to specifically enable people to right-size' and, therefore, release larger housing stock back into the market. This will essentially require the development of a proportion of smaller, more compact housing types – small houses or flats - on sites which may otherwise provide larger (3- and 4-bed) family homes. The planning inspectors have recommended the application of a threshold to this requirement, in order that it is applied appropriately to the scale of development where a mix of housing types might practically be achieved.
Whilst the Minister agrees with the need for a threshold, he considers that which has been recommended by the inspectors – at four dwellings and above – to be relatively low, particularly as this policy will be directed towards, and will be most effective in, securing a mix of housing types on larger housing developments.
Housing needs exist across all types and tenures, and whilst there is a clear opportunity to support right-sizing to make better use of existing housing stock, this should not be to the detriment of making best use of housing sites, where this may not be compatible with right-sizing objectives, such as when the land will be best-suited to meet the need for larger family homes, and having regard as to whether the characteristics of the wider area would be suitable for homes aimed towards older people.
In light of the above, and in order to secure consistency with other policy thresholds used throughout the draft Bridging Island Plan, it is considered that a threshold of five or more homes is more appropriate for the operation of this policy.
It is on this basis that the Minster accepts Amendment 44, subject to this further amendment, to introduce a threshold of five or more dwellings; and also that this policy requirement should only be applied in circumstances where it is considered appropriate.
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P.36/2021 Amd.(44)Amd
Financial and manpower implications
There are no financial or manpower implications as a result of this policy
Child Rights Impact Assessment implications
This amendment has been assessed in relation to the Bridging Island Plan CRIA, and positively supports children's rights to ensure that developable land is not unduly diverted away from providing suitable family homes; and that larger homes that are under-occupied might be released and made available to families.