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STATES OF JERSEY
ANN COURT HOUSING SITE, ST. HELIER: TEMPORARY USE
Lodged au Greffe on 30th June 2009 by the Connétable of St. Helier
STATES GREFFE
2009 Price code: A P.108
PROPOSITION
THE STATES are asked to decide whether they are of opinion
to agree that the approved temporary use of the Ann Court housing site for private car parking should not be implemented until consultation has taken place with local residents, businesses and the political representatives of the area.
CONNÉTABLE OF ST. HELIER
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P.108/2009
REPORT
The Ann Court housing site, currently being demolished, is earmarked for private car parking to raise income for the Housing Department. A recent written question in the States has indicated that there are in excess of 10,500 car parking spaces under the direct or indirect control of the States. In addition, there are several thousand rented parking spaces in private hands. It is, therefore, difficult to see what strategic objective of the States will be fulfilled by the creation of yet more private parking on the Ann Court site, unless, as was originally intended, permanent parking is to be provided on the site to enable the creation of the Millennium Town Park.
A master-planning process is currently underway to review the options for parking provision in the northern part of St. Helier , and it may well be that a better use of the Ann Court site than the proposed car park can be found as a result. Whatever the long- term use of the site may be, it is likely that the site will retain a temporary use for a considerable period of time. Therefore, in the short term, the site offers a valuable opportunity to provide residents and businesses in the area with a number of benefits and environmental improvements, such as play facilities, lawns and gardens, or a combination of such amenities with some parking for residents and businesses that currently have no such provision.
The temporary use of the site for car parking has been approved by the Planning Department with the statutory consultation that is involved with all planning applications. However, the States has the opportunity to defer the implementation of this planning permit while a full consultation process takes place as to what better temporary uses for the site might be feasible. I would estimate that the consultation process could be concluded within 3 months once the site has been cleared.
If the Housing Department is unwilling to conduct the consultation exercise, I would recommend to the St. Helier Parish Assembly that the Parish undertakes this on its behalf.
I believe that it is vital that the States consult the stakeholders and those who represent them before the Housing Department goes ahead with its plans for another revenue- raising car park. It may be that the exercise will indicate a majority are in favour of the Department's proposal, but at least the community will have been properly consulted.
There are no significant financial or manpower implications in the proposition, other than the lost parking revenue that the Housing Department will experience during the period of consultation.
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P.108/2009