Island Plan 2022-25: Approval (P.36/2021) – sixty-first amendment. Glasshouses

STATES OF JERSEY

ISLAND PLAN 2022-25: APPROVAL (P36/2021) – SIXTY-FIRST AMENDMENT

GLASSHOUSES

Lodged au Greffe on 7th February 2022 by Senator K.L. Moore

STATES GREFFE

2021  P.36 Amd. (61)

ISLAND PLAN 2022-2025: APPROVAL (P.36/2021) – SIXTY-FIRST AMENDMENT

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

1. within Policy ERE6, after the words "will not be supported" there should be inserted the words "; except where a commercial glasshouse site is located in close proximity to existing settlements and utility services, in which instance no more than 50% of that site will be supported for the provision of affordable housing, with use of the remaining 50% to be the subject  of  consultation  by  the  Minister  with  the  relevant  Parish  to determine whether it is should be restored to agricultural use or, to be made available to the Parish for the benefit of the Parish as a community space"; and
2. the draft Island Plan 2022-25 should be further amended in such respects as may be necessary consequent to the adoption of (a)."

SENATOR K. L. MOORE

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 Policy ERE6, after the words "will not be supported" there should be inserted the words "; except where a commercial glasshouse site islocated in close proximity to existing settlements and utility services, inwhich instance no more than 50% of that site will be supported for the provision of affordable housing, with use of the remaining 50% to be the subject  of  consultation  by  the  Minister  with  the  relevant  Parish  todetermine whether it is should be restored to agricultural use or, to be madeavailable to the Parish for the benefit of the Parish as a community space";and
2. the draft Island Plan 2022-25 should be further amended in such respectsas may be necessary consequent to the adoption of (a)."

REPORT

Introduction

The need in the Island for affordable housing is indisputable.

Successive Governments have consistently failed to provide an adequate supply of affordable housing - however we are now in a position where we have the opportunity to make decisions that will impact housing for islanders over the next few years. Policy H5 of the draft Bridging Island Plan ("BIP") lists sites specifically zoned for the provision of affordable housing and numerous amendments have been lodged in relation to this list – both to remove sites and/or add alternative sites.

H5 does not contain any sites of derelict or redundant glasshouses ("glasshouse sites"), with Policy ERE6 stating: "The redevelopment of redundant or derelict glasshouses for non-agricultural use will not be supported".

Policy ERE6 does, however, allow for consideration of the development of derelict glasshouse sites for other uses in the most exceptional circumstances and it is this aspect of the Policy that the proposition seeks to address, in order to expand the number of sites available to provide homes for our islanders.

Removing limitation of use of glasshouse sites

The use of glasshouse sites should not be limited only to where there are exceptional circumstances. Instead, all glasshouse sites should be available for consideration on an individual  basis  and  subject  to  the  application  of  specific  assessment  criteria. Assessment criteria already exist and have been applied during the BIP process.

Any glasshouse site is rated against criteria of space, accessibility, landscape character and current use. This proposition would not open up all sites for development, as it is acknowledged that some sites will not be suitable.

Precedent exists for using glasshouse sites, as can be illustrated by the development on the old De la Mare Nurseries site in Grouville (now "Jardin de la Mare" and the old Samares Nursery site now "Clos de la Colonie").  

Dual purpose of glasshouse sites

The proposition proposes that no more than 50% of any site is used for affordable housing leaving the remaining percentage for use as either agricultural or community space.

By placing this decision with both the Minister and the Parish, it will be possible to ascertain the best use of the land. Instances where the decision is to create a community space should also be factored into the assessment criteria/proximity criteria when assessing whether a site would be appropriate for development.

Community Spaces

There are many benefits to providing community spaces in any areas across the Island, including but not limited to –

• removal of a derelict site

• improvement of the countryside

• access to outdoor (green) space for the local community

• space to encourage community-led projects

It would be the responsibility of the Minister in conjunction with the relevant Parish to determine  how  the  community  space  would  be  used.  One  such  example  is  the community horticultural project in a field near Sion in St. John through GROW, part of the charity Thrive Jersey1.

"Field H1115 covers nearly 13 vergées of land adjacent to Surville Cemetery and GROW is working in close partnership with the Parish of St Helier, which owns the land.

The first step is to plant 150 apple, pear and other fruit and nut trees by the end of this month. Arranged in alleys, the trees will be interspersed with fruit bushes and under- planted with a range of herbs, berries, vegetables and pollinating flowers in line with permaculture design principles. Thrive say that planting alleys will allow crop rotation which plays a vital role in creating a good soil structure, improves carbon retention and reduces soil erosion". 2

A community space provides an area where people can gather and the space can be developed in different ways – children's play area, village green, an area for growing produce, a "wildlife" garden possible with a pond – the options are endless.

An Opportunity

Policy ERE6 also states: "When glasshouses are redundant to the horticultural industry or are derelict, they should be removed and the land restored to agricultural use."

Some glasshouse sites have been in their present state for considerable time and constitute both an eyesore and a waste of land.  Sites should not be allowed to become, and remain, derelict and the opportunity to address this should be grasped. Particularly when so many fields are being considered for rezoning in this bridging island plan,

If  such  sites  were  brought  back  into  use  for  affordable  housing  and community/agricultural spaces then they will directly benefit the people of Jersey by providing a resource which is desperately needed. Policy ERE6, as it stands, is a barrier to the regeneration of these sites which can be overcome by adopting this proposition.

Financial and manpower implications

There are no direct financial impacts of this amendment – though it is accepted that the review of sites in relation to assessment criteria may increase workload within the planning department.

1 https://channeleye.media/lets-grow-new-inclusive-community-horticultural-project-gets-the- green-light/

2 https://www.ruraljersey.co.uk/grow-and-thrive/

CRIA statement

This amendment has been assessed in relation to the Bridging Island Plan CRIA. This amendment will increase the number of sites available for affordable housing. This will ultimately benefit children growing up in the Island, who have a right to live in suitable accommodation.