Rezoning of sites in the Green and Countryside Zones and Island Plan Review (P.33-2008) comments

STATES OF JERSEY

REZONING OF SITES IN THE GREEN AND COUNTRYSIDE ZONES AND ISLAND PLAN REVIEW (P.33/2008): COMMENTS

Presented to the States on 27th March 2008 by the Minister for Planning and Environment

STATES GREFFE

COMMENTS

Part (a) of the proposition Land supply

It is important that States Members are aware, at the outset, of the position regarding the supply of land for first- time buyers and social rented housing (Category  A housing).

The sites zoned for such homes under policy H2 of the 2002 Island Plan are virtually built-out. There is currently an application for 26  homes at Fields 190, 191 and 192, La  Moye, and there is one other site at Ru edu Haut, St.  Lawrence which has a potential for 14  dwellings. All of the other H2 sites are complete or significantly advanced in their construction.

Under the existing Island Plan at policies H3 and H4, there are 23  sites identified,but not zoned, for future consideration  or  safeguarded  for  Category  A  housing.  Additionally,  under  policy  H4,  there  are  14  site safeguarded for Category  A housing which were previously identified in the 1987 Island Plan and which are predominantly in the built-up area, but have not come forward for development, in many cases because their existing use is more valuable to the owners.

A new Island Plan is being prepared, but the timetable outlined in the Report to this proposition is now out of date. Rescheduling has been required so as to be able to incorporate important material which must be reflected in the green paper (such as the most recent housing needs survey). The revised timetable is as follows –

Strategic Options Green Paper released for consultation – July 2008 Draft Plan White Paper released for consultation – January 2009 Publish Amended Draft Plan White Paper – June 2009 Examination in Public – July 2009 Lodge Report and Proposition – Late 2009 States Debate – Early 2010

It is most unlikely, given normal lead-in times, that any homes will be available for occupation on sites zoned in the new Island Plan until late 2011/early 2012 – some 4 years away. This is one of the main reasons why the consultation on retirement and first-time buyer homes was undertaken in December to February, with a view to an interim rezoning, to enable the continuity of provision of homes in these categories while the Island Plan is being reviewed.

The effect of part  (a) of the proposition will ensure that no new homes are forthcoming on zoned land until the new Island Plan is adopted, and for that reason I cannot support it.

Demand for housing

There is an immediate demand for retirement and first-time buyer homes, as described in the Department's white paper "Review of the Island Plan to Rezone Land for Life-long Retirement Dwellings for the Over-55s and First- Time Buyer Homes". A more exact quantification of this need will be derived from the results of the 2007 Housing Needs Survey when published by the Statistics Unit in April, and it is not intended to lodge the retirement/first-time buyer homes proposition until that underpinning evidence is available.

Arguably, it may be better to defer Deputy Labey 's proposition from the 1st April Order Paper until those results are available, so that States Members can have a better informed debate.

Part (b) of the proposition

If part  (a) is adopted, any further zoning proposals will only be brought forward as part of the Island Plan process. However, in order to bring forward a draft Island Plan it will be necessary for the Minister for Planning and Environment to make specific proposals which implicitly will be an "indication of support" for individual sites.

Part (c) of the proposition

This has no direct implications for Planning and Environment, save to say that it will be for developers to decide to whom they sell their properties within the categories for which the land is zoned.

Part (d) of the proposition

1. T  h e Minister is already giving high priority to the Island Plan Review,but has to balance a desire to complete the job quickly with the requirement to fully consult with Islanders and to andrespondto their views, in a way that isof sufficient quality androbustnessto withstand rigorous external examination.
2. It i s already the intention to publish for consultation a StrategicOptionsGreenPaper in July;and
3. I t is already theintentiontoconsider a policy frameworkfortheglasshouse industry, whichmay see some sites come into development for housing orother purposes andsome sites restored.

Part (e) of the proposition

It is intended that the principle of achieving an element of affordable housing as part of developments over a particular size will be addressed as part of the Island Plan Review, and will be brought forward if it is considered to be an appropriate mechanism for delivering affordable housing in Jersey.