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2. Oral Questions The Bailiff :
We then come to oral questions and first Deputy Young will ask a question of the Minister for Planning and Environment.
2.1. Deputy J.H. Young of St. Brelade of the Minister for Planning and Environment regarding the production of a Masterplan to promote and guide redevelopment of the Eastern Gateway regeneration Zone of St. Helier :
Will the Minister advise the Assembly whether he will be producing a Masterplan to promote and guide redevelopment of the Eastern Gateway Regeneration Zone of St. Helier in consultation with stakeholders and the local community as required by the Island Plan 2011, to enable him to consider the effects of the proposed relocation of the police to Green Street properly before the decision is made to approve this project?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel of St. Saviour (The Minister for Planning and Environment):
The production of a Masterplan is not a prerequisite for the proper consideration of a planning application and I am confident that all of the relevant material planning considerations will be taken into account in the determination of any planning application to develop a new police headquarters on the site of part of the Green Street car park. This is a requirement of the law. It is however my intention to produce Masterplans for those 6 areas defined as regeneration zones in the 2011 Island Plan, including St. Helier 's Eastern Gateway, but over the 10-year plan period. The purpose of any Masterplan will be to help guide the desired regeneration development activity in the area. Due to the timetable and the staff that I have available, it is unlikely that a Masterplan will be undertaken before the application for the police station might be considered.
The Bailiff :
Deputy , do you wish a supplementary?
- Deputy J.H. Young:
I would like to invite the Minister to elaborate on his answer because the Island Plan did in fact indicate the need for Masterplans and I would like to guide development in St. Helier , and particularly this particular project. It is bound to impact on car parking and availability into a residential area and has major traffic potential. Surely, could he not say whether or not he would consider the Island Plan policy requires him to have that in place and produce it in consultation before he makes that decision?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel:
Within the Island Plan the provision of Masterplans is not a policy but a proposal. It is entirely up to the Minister for Planning and Environment to bring forward any or no Masterplan for any particular area. I have to repeat that because there is no statutory requirement to produce these Masterplans. The determination of any planning application in these areas would not be precluded by the lack of a Masterplan.
[9:45]
The considerations in terms of traffic and transport will be major material issues to any planning application for a police station or any other public building with that type of operation and those items will be looked at in the necessary detail.
- Deputy J.H. Young:
The proposal that the Minister has referred to in his answer, would the Minister confirm that the proposal makes it plain that where States-owned assets are developed, and these are key factors in the plan, that that Masterplan may in fact be referred to the States? If not, could the Minister tell us whether or not the Island Plan and the pages in the plans are just words and not really of any use?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel:
I would hope that the words are of use but the proposal states, quite correctly quoted by Deputy Young, that where there are significant States-owned assets that are critical to the delivery of a Masterplan, the Minister may refer them to the States for consideration. This reference was added as a result of an amendment by Deputy Le Fondré who sought to prevent the Minister for Planning and Environment at the time from simply adopting Masterplans as a planning guidance without reference to the States, particularly where this involved the use of States-owned land. As I said, the intention is not to frustrate Islanders or States Members in not having sufficient information or opportunities to discuss any planning application brought forward by the relevant authority for a police station, but the proposals for Masterplans generally go substantially wider. The Eastern Gateway Regeneration Zone is predominantly a residential area, albeit it is criss- crossed by a busy road with access to the tunnel. So, as I say, the fact that there is no Masterplan present at the moment I think will not make any material difference, I would hope, on any application brought forward for a police station.