Confirmation that any proposals to replace housing at Ann Court with a 1,000 space car park will be considered by the Assembly if this is being considered when is it likely to happen

2.1   Deputy J.A. Martin of St. Helier of the Minister for Transport and Technical Services regarding proposals to replace the housing development at Ann Court with a 1,000 space car park:

Would the Minister confirm that any proposals to replace the housing development at Ann Court with a 1,000 space car park will be lodged for consideration by the Assembly and, if this is being considered, when is it likely to happen? Thank you, Sir.

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye of St. Helier (The Minister for Transport and Technical Services): There is in fact no requirement under States Standing Order No. 168 to bring the plans for a new Ann Court car park to the States for approval. Approval of plans for new construction has been delegated to the Minister for Treasury and Resources and the new car park plans will be referred to that Minister for approval following receipt and approval of the tender by the Minister for Transport and Technical Services. However, due to the location and the nature of the new car park, it is my intention to hold a full and complete public consultation process prior to plans being submitted to the Planning Department. It is intended that this process will commence in early June and will run for 6 weeks. All comments received during the consultation period will be considered prior to the scheme being finalised and then submitted to Planning. Members, of course, will be given every opportunity to comment on the scheme during that consultation process.

1. Deputy J.A. Martin:

I thank the Minister for his reply. It does come as quite a surprise, Sir, because from Hansard, in the last session I asked the same question to the Minister of Housing and he assured me 3 times he was not willing to get rid of housing until this House - this Assembly - has made a decision to make a car park. So, as I understand there is no obligation under Standing Order 168, would the Minister not reconsider as it is such a large project, to bring it to the House for consideration?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

Yes, I am happy to reconsider the position, Sir.

2. Deputy J.B. Fox of St. Helier :

I understand from last night's Parish meeting in St. Helier that in fact there is a proposal the ground floor of this proposed car park will be reserved for white van parking, the 680 such vehicles parked in the side streets of St. Helier at this moment in time. Could the Minister request, when considering to putting this proposal out to public consultation, that the parishioners of St. Helier and indeed the Islanders be advised on the other proposals in the reasonably immediate area of this top end of St. Helier - with relation to other public parking spaces, either to be removed or to be added, i.e. such places as Snow Hill - so that the public can have a better understanding of what facilities will be available and those that will not be available? Especially for residents. Thank you.

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

It is the intention to pursue this particular project as a normal informal planning application and I think that to throw into the pot all the additional things that the Deputy is referring to may only serve to confuse the issue.

3. Connétable A.S. Crowcroft of St. Helier :

I note the Minister has agreed to reconsider his earlier indication that he would not be bringing this matter to the States. Does he not agree with me that if he were to bring the long-awaited integrated transport and travel plan to the House that would be a good opportunity for us to debate the wisdom of siting the new car park in the proposed area?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

I partially agree with the Constable, Sir. The fact of the matter, as I am sure the Assembly is very well aware, I am disappointed at the amount of time that it has taken to compile the integrated travel and transport strategy but, as we all know, it has been delayed time and again because of the work that the Transport and Technical Services Department has had to put in to ensuring that the

Traffic Management Plans that lay behind the installation of a tunnel at the Waterfront will work. That has been the high priority. There are also considerations that Members will be aware of that have emerged from the EDAW analysis of developments around town and, yes, of course all these things will be drawn together in the integrated travel and transport strategy which I hope will be of benefit, not only to the Assembly but to the Island.

4. Deputy A. Breckon of St. Saviour :

I wonder if I could ask the Minister if he could identify where the funding for this is coming from?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

As the Deputy who sits alongside me well knows, my department is seriously strapped for cash and I have very little idea where the funding is coming from at this stage. Environmental taxes is one possibility and also the well-padlocked coffers of the Minister  for Treasury and Resources is another.  But that looks to be some way down the line. As Members will very well know, funding for all sorts of projects, not just within the Transport and Technical Service Department, is a major issue.

5. Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier :

Would the Minister care to explain his reference to the Minister for Treasury and Resources apart from holding the purse strings, what is his involvement in supervising this actual provision?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

Well, the Deputy has been in the States as long as I have and I am surprised he is not aware of the existence of Property Services, now Property Holdings. It is a fact that my department does not own the car parks, the car park ownership comes under the remit of the Treasury and Resources Department and most directly, I believe, Deputy Le Fondré and therefore, because it is that department acting as the effective owner of multi-storey car parks in Jersey, that it would be that department that would properly take planning application forward before the Minister for Planning and Environment.

6. Deputy G.P. Southern :

Supplementary, Sir, if I may? In that case, in addition to his agreement to reconsider bringing this proposition to the House, will he put pressure on the Minister for Treasury and Resources if he does not do so to bring such a proposition to the House?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

I have so far heard 2 Members who would like some reconsideration of this matter and I will

certainly avail the Minister for Treasury and Resources of that information.

7. Deputy A.D. Lewis of St. John :

Just to follow up on the Constable of St. Helier's question really. Is the Minister in a position at this stage to tell us when the report of the integrated transport policy is going to be published? Thank you, Sir.

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

The Minister wishes he was but he is not.

8. Deputy J.A. Martin:

I think it is maybe more than consideration because the Minister has admitted to this House he has no idea where the funding is coming from. I thought we were under a process of adopting business

plans and budgets for the next 2 or 3 years and if this amount of money is not in it I do not think it

is a question of considering. I think the Minister must bring this proposition to the House and tell us where the money will be coming from. Does he not agree?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

No, I do not agree.  I think clearly an earlier answer was not properly understood by the Deputy and possibly other Members; when I referred to a lack of funding I was referring to the outcomes of the integrated travel and transport strategy which will face those problems. The funding of a new multi-storey car park of course will be funded out of the car park trading account which is precisely set up specifically in order to have funds to build new multi-storey car parks or repair ones that have become dilapidated or whatever. So the funding issue in respect of a new multi-storey car park is not in fact an issue.

9. Deputy I.J. Gorst of St. Clement :

As the Connétable of St. Helier rightly pointed out, these issues are better considered in the round of the transport strategic document. The Minister says he is not in a position to tell us when it will be released; perhaps he could tell us why there is such a delay on it?

Deputy G.W.J. de Faye:

I will not go over old ground, Sir. I think everybody is quite well aware about what has caused the delays. It is also worth reminding Members that the proposals for the Ann Court car park are not related to the overall car park strategy that would be contained in the travel and transport plan, they are more directly related to a desire to create a town park. In those terms the car parking that currently exists in the proposed area for the town park would have to be replaced and Ann Court holds the spaces for such replacement. That is the driving factor behind the Ann Court multi-storey car park, not the overall car parking strategy for St. Helier , although of course it will be a facet of it.