Albert Pier Housing, St. Helier: Transfer of Administration and Sale of Dwellings

ALBERT PIER HOUSING, ST. HELIER: TRANSFER OF ADMINISTRATION AND SALE OF DWELLINGS _______________

Lodged au Greffe on 26th September 2000 by the Housing Committee

______________________________

STATES OF JERSEY

STATES GREFFE

180             2 0 0 0   P . 1 6 7          

Price code: B

PROPOSITION

THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion -

  to re f e r to their Act dated 10th November 1992 in which, in pursuance of Article 3 of the Island Planning (Jersey)

Law 1964, they approved Map No.  3/92 as the Development Plan for the St.  Helier Waterfront area, to their Ac dated 22nd July 1997, in which under the said Article they designated areas 1, 2 and 3 shown on Drawing No.  558/1 for use for residential purposes, and to their Act dated 12th December 1995 in which they inter alia approved the establishment of the Waterfront Enterprise Board Limited as a separate legal entity, appointed the Waterfront Enterprise Board Limited as a development agency of the States for an initial period of ten years, and transferred to the administration of the Waterfront Enterprise Board Limited areas to the west of Albert reclamation site shown on Drawing No.  484/1, and

  (i ) to agree to transfer to the administration of the Housing Committee the areas marked A and B respectively on

Drawing No. 2000/01 (attached), and forming part of the areas transferred to the administration of the Waterfront Enterprise Board Limited by the decision of the States of 12th December 1995, referred to above, with effect from the date of practical completion of the development to be carried out on those sites respectively;

  (ii  ) to approve the sale by the Public to the Jersey Homes Trust Limited of site A after the completion of the

development of the site, for such price, and otherwise on such terms and conditions, as shall be agreed by the Housing Committee and the Finance and Economics Committee;

(ii i) to authorise the sale by the Public of the units of accommodation to be constructed on site B to persons

approved by the Housing Committee at such prices, and otherwise upon such terms and conditions, as shall be agreed by the Housing Committee and the Finance and Economics Committee;

  (iv  )  to authorise the Attorney General and the Greffier of the States to pass the necessary contracts on behalf of

the States.

HOUSING COMMITTEE

Note: T he Finance and Economics Committee has considered all aspects of the proposed development on a number of

occasions and supports the proposition, subject to the Housing Committee finalising its policy in respect of onward sales to first-time buyers.

Report

1. I n J a n uary 1990, the States approved the Waterfront Planning Brief. This included a requirement that the eventual development plan for the Waterfront should make substantial provision for new housing development in the area.
2. O  n 1 0 th November 1992, the States, in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of the Island Planning (Jersey) Law 1964, approved Map No.  3-92 as the development plan for the St. Helier Waterfront area. That approval, however, was subject to the States confirming the site of the new housing to the west of the Albert Pier.
3. O  n 2 2 nd September 1997, the States approved for residential purposes the areas designated 1, 2 and 3 on Drawing No. 558/1. Of these, area 1 is the area immediately to the west of the Albert Pier.
4. O  n 1 2 th December 1995, the States approved the establishment of the Waterfront Enterprise Board as a separate legal entity and appointed it as a development agency of the States for the Waterfront area for an initial ten-year period. At the same time, the States transferred the administration of areas of the reclamation site, including the sites zoned for the new housing, to WEB for the purpose of short-term maintenance, management and landscaping with a view to the immediate improvement of the areas, and in the long-term the promotion of development subject to the prior approval of development proposals by the Planning and Environment Committee.
5. Fo llo  wing the approval by the States on 22nd July 1997 of the Housing Plan, applications were made to the Planning and Environment Committee for development permission for social rented housing and first-time buyer homes in accordance with the Plan. Planning permission has now been granted for the housing areas immediately to the westof the Albert Pier and development permission is imminent. The development agreement will not be signed until development permission has been obtained.
6. T h is   p art of the proposed development comprises in the northern part an area for social rented housing [Site A] and in the southern part a number of first-time buyer homes [Site B]. It is anticipated that 79 dwellings will be constructed on Site A and 70 dwellings on Site B.The two are divided at ground level by a pedestrian walkway, which is a continuation of the West of Albert walkways, and which will  link the Town Marina area to the development on the West of Albert site. However, below ground there is to be a underground car park, which will extend under both sites as well as under the pedestrian walkway.
7. T h e D evelopment Plan approved on 12th December 1995, envisaged that if the development package submitted by WEB to the Planning and Environment Committee were approved by that Committee, WEB would progress the development with any consequential property transactions being presented to the States with the approval of the Finance and Economics Committee in accordance with the present States procedures for land transactions.
8. T h e b uilding contract is to be signed on 16th October 2000, subject to all necessary approvals being in place. Work will start on the site on the main contract on 23rd October 2000.
9. B  ec a u se WEB was set up as a development and not a management agent, the appropriate body for taking forward the sales following practical completion of the developments is the Housing Committee, rather than WEB. It is therefore proposed that the administration of the areas be transferred fromWEB to the Housing Committee with effect from the date of practical completion of the respective developments.
10. T h e northern plot [Site A] will then be sold by the Public to the Jersey Homes Trust for an amount tobe agreed by the Finance and Economics Committee. It is envisaged that this amount will bein excess of eleven million pounds, although the figure may change. The sale will be on terms and conditions to be approved by the Housing Committee and the Finance and Economics Committee. These terms and conditions will include, either in the conveyance or in a side agreement, appropriate conditions as to nomination rights in respect of those who can occupy the units, tenant consultation, appropriate payment by the Trust to the Public should surpluses arise in recognition of the payment by the Public to the Trust of subsidies, and the like.
11. A s r egards the individual units on the southern plot [Site B], it is envisaged that these will be sold by the Housing Committee to first-time buyers and others who the Committee is satisfied are in need of assistance to acquire starter homes. The sales will be subject to conditions to restrict future sales and occupancy and to ensure that buyers do not make excessive profits when selling these publicly subsidised units.