How many Housing units in the draft Island Plan and in what categories.

1240/5(5226)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY P.V.F. LE CLAIRE OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 23rd MARCH 2010

Question

1. H owmanyunitsofaccommodation,houses and dwellings per Parish have been identified in the draft Island plan and in what categories?
2. H owmanyof these, if any, have been identified asundesirableby the Connétable s of the Parishes they are in?
3. is the main reason for any opposition to certain developments a perception ofoverdevelopmentof their Parish and;
4. W  hat discussions, if any, havetakenplace with the Minister for Housingto address his ownconcernsand those ofhis Assistant Minister andothermembers,regarding the adequacyof the units proposed and the potential overdevelopmentof St. Helier ?

Answer

T h e Minister for Planning and Environment was tasked by the States in the Strategic Plan 2009-2014 to

identify sufficient appropriate development sites for housing – without further rezoning of green areas – in the Island Plan ensuring that the unit mix and tenure types meet prevailing demand (States Strategic Plan 2009-2014: Priority 14). The aim of the Island Plan is, therefore, to make provision for sufficient land and opportunities to meet, as far as possible, the anticipated requirement for homes in the Island over the 10 years of the Plan period ensuring that needs and demands for different categories of housing; housing tenures; and housing types are met.

T h e requirement for housing which needs to be provided for in the draft Island Plan is a minimum of 4,000

homes in the 10 year period 2009 to 2018.

T h e draft Plan does not seek to meet this need on a parochial basis, but rather seeks to meet the Island's

overall housing need in accord with the Plan's proposed spatial strategy, which seeks to focus development largely within existing built-up areas and on already developed land, in accord with the objectives of the Strategic Plan.

O n the basis of an assessment of estimated demand against anticipated and planned supply, the draft Island

Plan seeks to satisfy identified requirements for new homes over the Plan period with sufficient supply from both;

• existing known sources of housing supply (e.g. existing planning permissions, opportunities for development at the Waterfront and windfall developments in the Built-up Area) and;

• from planned sources of supply, including new proposals to zone Category A housing sites.

The table below sets out the anticipated sources of housing supply:

S u p ply of Homes 2009-2018 (source: draft Island Plan 2009)

2002  Island  Plan  Cat  A 125 0 0 0 125 sites  (Policy  H2,  2002

Island Plan)

2002  Island  Plan 300 0 0 0 300 amendment:  lifelong  and

1st time buyer homes

St Helier Waterfront 0 600 0 400 1000 Town of St Helier 100 650 200 550 1500 Windfall 100 750 200 650 1700 Rural  centres  (Policy  H5 25 0 75 0 100 Draft Island Plan)

Draft  Island  Plan  Cat  A 200 0 0 0 200 sites  (Policy  H1  Draft

Island Plan)

Less outworn sites -300 0 0 0 -300 Total 550 2000 475 1600 4625

M  o re information about the need for different categories and types of homes as well as these sources of

supply is contained within the draft Island Plan (pp.234-243).

To help contribute towards part of the need for family homes and affordable homes over the initial five years of the life of the Plan in particular, it has been considered necessary to propose the rezoning of seven housing sites in the draft Island Plan. Policy H1 proposes the rezoning of the following sites, five of which are glasshouse sites and two are greenfield sites. If approved, these sites have the potential to provide between 200-300 homes.

1. DeLaMareNurseries,la Rue a Don, Grouville (2.5 acres/5.5 vergées);
2. Cooke's RoseFarm, Field 114, LePassage,CarrefourSelous, St. Lawrence(1.3 acres/3 vergées);
3. Samares Nursery, Grande Route deSt Clement, StClement,(9.8acres/22 vergées);
4. Longueville Nurseries, New York Lane,StSaviour(2.1 Acres/4.75 vergées);
5. Part Field1219,GrandeRoutedeMont a l'Abbe, St. Helier.(2 Acres/4.5 vergées);
6. Glasshouse site, Field785,Ruedes Cosnets, StOuen(1.5 Acres/3.5 vergées);
7. Field 633, LaVerteRue,StPeter(approximately0.95acres/2vergées).

These sites are proposed to be zoned specifically for the development of Category A housing in the respective proportions of 75% (Jersey Homebuy): 25% (first-time buyer).

2. H owmanyof these, if any, have been identified as undesirableby the Connétable s oftheparishes they are in?

Answer

T h e draft Island Plan was published for consultation in September 2009: the consultation period closes on

31 March 2010. To date, there has been one formal objection from a parish Connétable , lodged by the Connétable of St Clement, in relation to housing matters.

T h e Minister for Planning and Environment is, however, aware that other Connétable s may have concern

over sites proposed for rezoning in their parishes and is sympathetic to the need for Connétable s to represent the concern that their parishioners may have about proposed new housing. The Minister will give these concerns close consideration as part of the plan preparation process.

T o e nable the Minister to clearly and properly understand the concerns that Connétable s may have and to be

able  to  give  them  due  consideration,  however,  the  Minister  would  urge  the  submission  of  formal representations before the end of the consultation period.

T h is will allow any representations, together with the polices and proposals themselves, to be subject to an

independent and rigorous scrutiny process of all issues of concern by the independent planning inspector at the

forthcoming Examination in Public (EIP). This will help to inform the draft Island Plan that is lodged in the States.

B e c ause of the areas of concern of which he is aware, the Minister is presently minded to make changes to

the draft Island Plan that is brought back to the States, but will await the conclusion of the consultation process, before he does so.

In c onsidering the provision of land for housing, however, and in particular the seven proposed sites for

rezoning, it will be important for Members to be aware that these seven sites seek to contribute towards the identified need for affordable family homes in the draft Island Plan. Any change to the draft Island Plan affecting these sites would need to made with a view to ensuring that the objective of helping to meet this need could be made through alternative provision if the Plan is to remain sound and is to satisfy the objectives set by the Strategic Plan.

3. Is the main reason for any opposition tocertain developments a perceptionof over developmentoftheir parish and;

Answer

A s stated in the response above, whilst the Minister is aware that some Connétable s may have concern

about the proposed rezoning of land for housing in their parishes, only one objection has been formalised as part of the Island Plan process. This cites four issues of concern related to the proposed rezoning of land in St Clement, which are:

• The site is not necessary;

• The parish is overburdened' by development;

• The site would be better used for private amenity space and/or allotments;

• The proposal does not have the support of the Parish

T h e exact basis of concern that other parish Connétable s may have in relation to other sites is not precisely

known presently as detailed representations have yet to be received.

I t is also relevant to note, however, that in bringing these sites forward, the Minister for Planning and

Environment is seeking to adhere to the direction provided to him by the States Strategic Plan 2009-2014 to identify sufficient appropriate development sites for housing – without further rezoning of green areas – in the Island Plan ensuring that the unit mix and tenure types meet prevailing demand (States Strategic Plan 2009-2014: Priority 14). The consequence of this strategic direction, provided by the States, is that new development will inevitably be directed to the Island's most urban parishes.

4. W  hatdiscussions, if any, have taken place with the Minister forHousingto address his ownconcerns and those ofhis Assistant Minister andothermembers,regarding the adequacyof the units proposed and the potential overdevelopmentof St. Helier ?

Answer

T h e draft Island Plan seeks to meet many of the Island's needs, particularly in relation to housing, and has

been developed in consultation with key stakeholders, including the Housing Department.

T h e draft Island Plan was the subject of consideration and endorsement, as a draft for consultation, by a

political Steering Group and the Council of Ministers of which the Minister for Housing was a member of both.

T h e Planning and Environment Department has recently undertaken further work to update information relating to the provision of and supply of housing land. The Interim Review of Residential Land

Availability, to be published shortly, indicates that the Island is in a good position to meet the overall demands for

new homes over the next five years. To meet particular housing challenges, such as the provision of family homes and more affordable housing, however, the report identifies that it is important that those sites identified for new housing in the draft Island Plan come forward for development. If these sites are not supported, it will be necessary that alternative provision is made for these needs to be met.

In p reparing the draft Island Plan, the Minister for Planning and Environment is aware of the need to ensure

that the impact of increased levels of development in existing urban areas does not detract from the quality of life enjoyed by existing and new residents and the character of these areas. To address this matter, the Minister's department is in the process of reviewing standards related to the provision of amenity space as part of new residential development, as an integral part of the Island Plan Review.

T h e draft Island Plan also contains policy which seeks to protect existing public open space within existing

urban areas and to require and encourage its maintenance and enhancement as an important element of the urban environment (see draft Island Plan pp. 285-294).