Island Plan 2022-25: Approval (P.36/2021) – sixty-sixth amendment. Use of fields G403C, G403D and part of G432A, Grouville (re-issue)

STATES OF JERSEY

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

USE OF FIELDS G403C, G403D AND PART OF G432A, GROUVILLE

Lodged au Greffe on 7th February 2022 by Deputy S.M. Wickenden of St. Helier

STATES GREFFE

2021  P.36 Amd.(66)(re-issue)

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

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PAGE 2 –

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

1. the following should be inserted within the list of sites to be zoned for affordable homes at Policy H5 – Provision of affordable homes –

1. "2. Fields G403C and G403D Grouville (0.6 hectares/3.3 vergées)";
2. "and part of G432A Grouville (0.6 hectares/3.3 vergées)";

2. the draft Island Plan 2022-25 should be further amended in such respects as may be necessary consequent upon the adoption of paragraph (a); and
3. the Draft Bridging Island Plan Proposals Map Part A – Planning Zones should be amended to reflect the adoption of paragraph (a).".

DEPUTY S.M. WICKEDEN OF ST. HELIER

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. the following should be inserted within the list of sites to be zoned foraffordable homes at Policy H5 – Provision of affordable homes –

1. "2. Fields G403C and G403D Grouville (0.6 hectares/3.3 vergées)";
2. "and part of G432A Grouville (0.6 hectares/3.3 vergées)";

2. the draft Island Plan 2022-25 should be further amended in such respectsas may be necessary consequent upon the adoption of paragraph (a); and
3. the Draft Bridging Island Plan Proposals Map Part A – Planning Zonesshould be amended to reflect the adoption of paragraph (a).

REPORT

Housing the Island's community and meeting the housing needs of our young people, the elderly and of people who live and work in the Island, is all of our responsibility.

With several withdrawals and refusals of sites for rezoning to provide homes within this Bridging Island Plan (BIP), alternatives should be sought and considered so that we meet the needs of the community as identified in the Objective Assessment of Housing Needs 2019, by providing additional units for homes within this bridging Island Plan. Grouville  has  a  very  poor  record  in  contributing  to  First-Time  Buyer/Affordable housing for the Island, with only 6 units being provided in over 20 years.

The fields identified in this amendment have gone through the BIP process and missed out by one point in the original assessment. This was erroneous in the opinion of some for the following reasons:-

The fields have been described as agricultural, however fields G403C, G403D and the eastern end of G432A have not been farmed for over 40 years and would be more accurately described as a brown field site. Appendix 1 illustrates the current state of the land, some of which resembles a waste ground and the rest is overgrown with bracken and weeds and is also something of an eyesore.

There was no written objection from the Jersey Farmers Union to the fields G403C, G403D and G432A being included in the Bridging Island Plan or at the Inspectors Hearing. The owner also retains communication from the Land Controls and Planning Officer department of the Environment to say they could not oppose development on agricultural grounds.

The fields location makes for an obvious extension to the built-up zone.

The fields are fronted by two 1960's bungalows along the Ribbon Development of the East Coast Road, (Appendix 2) and therefore any development on the site would have little visual impact to road-users and the public, and indeed have far less visual impact than the only selected field in the Parish Field G392A.

The original submission for sites included field G403A. The only reason for doing so was to create a rural backdrop to the overall scheme. However, as this field has been identified as in the medium to low flood risk zone, the field has subsequently been withdrawn and is not included in this amendment. It will therefore remain in its natural state.

Housing provision on Fields G403C, G403D and part of G432A would contribute to the Islands much needed supply of homes.

I have split the amendment into Fields G403C and G403D being one part, which are nearest the built-up zone and existing development along La Grande Route des Sablons. These are two small parcels of land would have little to no impact to the public and certainly no impact to agriculture.

The second part forms the eastern part of field G432A which is next to fields G403C and G403D and it is anticipated that re-zoning of half the field takes the

line of the old Eastern Railway which ran across these fields and follows the same line as other development in the area. The site could also offer the infrastructure and physical location to extend the Eastern Cycle Network and pedestrian safety from Grouville School to Fauvic; currently there is little provision for pedestrian safety and pavements along Route des Sablons.

Policies H3 and H5 should be considered to give the Minister the greatest amount of flexibility in meeting the Island's housing needs and in determining which sites are most suited to the needs of the Island.

In Summary

• Fields G403C, G403D and G432A were originally selected in the initial best scoring selection  and  scored  well  against  the  established  planning  criteria  (one  point differential between these fields and the only selected site in Grouville );

• The fields are situated next to the built up zone along the main road of Route des Sablons;

• The location of the site is an extremely good one - in close proximity to the local primary school, the amenities at Fernlea, shops, health centre and recreational space;

• The site is served by all the main utilities, frequent bus routes and is positioned on a primary 30mph network road;

• The local primary school is a five minute walk away;

• The site is on the 1A bus route which is a direct route to Le Rocquier secondary school which serves the East of the Island;

• The site is on the frequently served number 1 bus route to St. Helier and Gorey and is therefore extremely good for commuters;

• The beach is a 2-minute walk away;

• There would be very limited loss to agriculture as the fields have not grown crops for over 40 years and the Department for Agriculture and Land Use has confirmed that the fields are of little agricultural value;

• There would be a limited loss to the public vista of the area, as the fields are affronted by  the  ribbon-development  which  blights  the  east  coast  road,  and  where  two bungalows currently form the entrance either side of the access road;

• The site is surrounded by natural screening in field G403A to the north and other natural screening to the south;

• There would be limited disruption to quality of life and privacy;

• The site could also provide a physical location to the infrastructure of the Eastern Cycle Network and provide a safe pedestrian walkway to the local school, which is currently very difficult along Route des Sablons;

• And last but not least, the site would provide much needed homes for people. ***

The benefits and location of the site for the provision of much needed homes, together with infrastructure to extend cycling and safe pedestrian routes in the east of the Island, far outweigh any other considerations so far raised.

Financial and manpower implications

There are no financial or manpower implications in relation to the inclusion of the site as identified.

Child Rights Impact Assessment implications

This amendment has been assessed in relation to the Bridging Island Plan CRIA. It offers redundant fields of little to no agricultural value to those already proposed to be made available for housing, its aim is to increase the much-needed housing stock and give  flexibility  to  the housing  available  within  the Parish  and  Island.  These  will ultimately benefit children growing up in the Island, who should have a right to live in suitable accommodation.

Appendix 1 - Photographs of Fields G403C, G403D and G432A in their current state

Appendix 2 - photograph of the site entrance to Fields G403C, G403D and G432A from Route des Sablons

Appendix 3 - map showing site location

Appendix 4 - satellite view of location and line of Eastern Cycle Network along the old Eastern Railway line

Re-issue Note

This amendment has been reissued to split the fields represented in the amendment. There was also a minor addition to the report, to reflect the change.