Island Plan 2022-25: Approval (P.36/2021) – eighty-fifth amendment (P.36/2021 Amd. (85) - amendment

STATES OF JERSEY

ISLAND PLAN 2022-25: APPROVAL

(P.36/2021) – EIGHTY-

FIFTH AMENDMENT (P.36/2021 AMD.(85) – AMENDMENT

POLICY EV1

Lodged au Greffe on 14th February 2022 by Senator S.C. Ferguson

STATES GREFFE

2021  P.36 Amd.(85)Amd.

ISLAND PLAN 2022-25: APPROVAL (P.36/2021)– EIGHTY-FIFTH

AMENDMENT (P.36/2021 AMD.(85)) – AMENDMENT

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In the inserted paragraph, delete the words "offering more than 58 beds".

SENATOR S.C. FERGUSON

Note:  After this amendment, the eighty-fifth amendment would read as follows –

After the words "the draft Island Plan 2022-25" insert the words ", except that within Policy EV1 the following paragraph should be inserted after the sixth paragraph –

"Changes of use of visitor accommodation offering will not be supported in St. Brelade 's Bay unless it is demonstrated that:

1. there is no market demand for the continued use of the premises for visitor  accommodation  including  if  refurbished  or  redeveloped through further investment for such purpose; and
2. there is no unacceptable adverse effect on the intrinsic character of St. Brelade 's Bay as a tourist destination area."

After  the  eighty-fifth  amendment,  as  amended  by  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 within Policy EV1 the following paragraph should be inserted after the sixth paragraph –

"Changes of use of visitor accommodation will not be supported in St. Brelade 's Bay unless it is demonstrated that:  

1. there is no market demand for the continued use of the premises for visitor  accommodation  including  if  refurbished  or  redeveloped through further investment for such purpose; and
2. there is no unacceptable adverse effect on the intrinsic character of St. Brelade 's Bay as a tourist destination area."

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P.36/2021 Amd.(85)Amd.

REPORT

The report to Amendment 85 is a well-constructed and argued commentary on the importance of the tourist industry. From an economist's point of view, Tourism is regarded as a "Cash Crop" with all the benefits to an economy that that implies.

With regard to St. Brelades Bay, there are now 6 establishments providing visitor accommodation in the bay.

These are:

St. Brelade 's Bay Hotel Amani (self-catering units) Golden Sands  

Beau Rivage

L'Horizon

Biarritz

158 beds

9 Units (35 beds) 136 beds

58 beds

206 beds  

84 beds

Hotels which have left the industry: Windmill  80 beds Miramar  74 beds

From this it can be seen that to specify the number of beds below which there would be no query if the particular organisation proposes to leave the industry would in fact have made it difficult for Windmill and Miramar. The only organisations to benefit from the restrictions are Beau Rivage and Amani. It appears that the number of 58 is purely arbitrary with no logical explanation.

It would be totally inequitable to pass legislation which is only applicable to a minority of the hotels in the Bay. This takes no account of the barriers to expansion of the other businesses which have been set by government by way of restrictions of licences for staff and so forth.

This amendment to the amendment necessitates removal of the 58-bed requirement. Financial and manpower implications  

There  are  no  financial  or  manpower  implications  in  relation  to  the  proposed amendments.

Child Rights Impact Assessment implications  

This amendment has been assessed in relation to the Bridging Island Plan CRIA. Improved  well-being  of  children  will  arise  from  improved  public  access  to,  and improved enjoyment of, a public beach and recreation area.

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P.36/2021 Amd.(85)Amd.