Development of Town Masterplan (P.9/2023): amendment.

STATES OF JERSEY

DEVELOPMENT OF TOWN MASTERPLAN (P.9/2023): AMENDMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 14th March 2023 by Deputy S.Y. Mézec of St. Helier South Earliest date for debate: 21st March 2023

STATES GREFFE

2023  P.9 Amd.

DEVELOPMENT OF TOWN MASTERPLAN (P.9/2023): AMENDMENT

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1  PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (a) –

After the words "redevelopment of the Waterfront" insert the words "and on the South Hill Development".

2  PAGE 2, PARAGRAPH (c) –

After the words "summer recess in 2024" insert the words "such Masterplan to include  the  requirement  that  all  subsequent  homes  built  by  the  Jersey Development Company in St. Helier be for affordable housing".

 DEPUTY S.Y. MÉZEC OF ST. HELIER SOUTH

Note:  After this amendment, the proposition would read as follows –

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion

to request –

1. the  Minister  for  Treasury  and  Resources  to  instruct  the  Jersey Development Company to pause work on the redevelopment of the Waterfront and on the South Hill Development, until a Masterplan for the future development of Town has been approved by the States Assembly;
2. the Minister for Infrastructure to finalise, as soon as possible, work on the walking, cycling, bus and parking strategies that were agreed to be developed as part of the Sustainable Transport Plan in order that the strategies can inform a Town Masterplan; and
3. the Minister for the Environment to establish a working group of States Members and appropriate local officials, and to request such working group to collate and review the relevant plans and studies which have been commissioned by the Government in recent years, to consult further with stakeholders and the general public, only utilising off- Island expertise where absolutely necessary, and to bring forward a Town Masterplan for debate by the States Assembly before the summer recess in 2024 such Masterplan to include the requirement that all subsequent homes built by the Jersey Development Company in St. Helier be for affordable housing.

REPORT

Summary

If adopted, this amendment would extend the proposition to specifically include the proposed SoJDC development at South Hill and include a requirement that all future subsequent homes build by the SoJDC in line with any Town Masterplan must be designated as affordable.

South Hill

As well as the redevelopment of the Waterfront, the States of Jersey Development Company is also in the process of planning to redevelop the old Planning Department premises on South Hill.

At the time of writing this report, the Planning Applications Committee is due to consider a planning application for this development, having rejected a previous one due to the scale and mass proposed.

Many of the arguments made by the Constable of St Helier about the impact of the Waterfront development are equally valid for the South Hill development. The development is proposed without adequate considerations in place for traffic, school places or the quality of life for those who end up in single-aspect apartments a few metres opposite from a cliff face. This is not satisfactory and must be reviewed.

It is also worth noting that three of the four Deputies elected by the people of St Helier South in the election last year pledged to support reviewing the South Hill proposal. We therefore have a democratic mandate to bring this amendment.

Affordable Housing

Following previous States Assembly debates on this subject, the SoJDC are currently working based on guidance[1] issued by the previous Jersey Alliance-led government, that the minimum requirement for affordable housing on both the Waterfront and South Hill is just 15 per cent on each site.

There is no evidence of any public support for the use of a publicly-owned developer to use publicly-owned land to build such a large amount of unaffordable homes. Thus far in this political term, no elected member has spoken in enthusiastic support for this policy. There is no reason that it should be maintained by this Assembly. We have the democratic right to review it and overturn it.

We currently have both the private sector and the government (through the SoJDC) building a huge number of homes which are unaffordable. Many of the new homes coming online in sites such as the Merchants Square on Bath Street are being advertised at rent levels which will put those on the average income in rental stress. But even the new homes built by the SoJDC on the Waterfront are matching this same profile too. One small 1-bed flat in the Horizon development, with no parking and single-aspect view facing land which is due to become a building site for years was recently advertised for rent at £1,550 a month.

Page - 3

The government claims it is pursuing a strategy of increasing the supply of homes to help stabilise prices. But it is building homes which are let out at rates which may well be acting as a benchmark to others, leading to further inflation in this sector. This is counterproductive and simply serves to exacerbate the housing crisis.

The government should not be in the business of building homes for the unaffordable sector. Leave that to the private sector. Our resources and energy should instead be solely focused on providing affordable homes.

If the Constable of St Helier's proposition is adopted, it provides an opportunity to rework these proposals to meet our desires for this area. Regardless of what conclusion is reached on how many homes should be provided in this space, we should be prepared to rule out using it for homes which do not meet Jersey's most urgent need.

Financial and manpower implications

The financial and manpower implications are the same as is stated in P.9/2023.