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4.3 The Connétable of St. Helier of the Minister for Planning and Environment regarding the listing of St. Helier 's parks:
Can the Minister advise whether a process is underway to list St. Helier 's parks including the wooded area of Westmount adjacent to St. Aubin's Road and, if so, will he provide details to the Assembly?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel (The Minister for Planning and Environment):
The answer to the Constable's question is yes. An assessment of the important desired landscapes in Jersey has been undertaken as part of the recent re-survey of all of the Island's heritage assets and this has included St. Helier 's public parks. The area referred to by the Constable is part of Westmount Park which is considered to be a typical late 19th Century naturalistic cliffside seaside park which expertly exploits the topography to provide easy walks and marine views. That has obviously been said by people who have not walked up the steep slopes but there you go. This has survived largely intact and its design will probably be of national significance in England. In Jersey, it is of major significance as an early and complex public park of the Island representing part of the history of the Island as a tourist resort and part of an ensemble with the contiguous People's and Victoria Parks. On the basis of this historic interest, I am in the process of considering a recommendation from Jersey Heritage to list Westmount Park along with others in the Parish of St. Helier .
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
In the light of the Minister's comments, could he explain why on page 5 of the written answer to Deputy Martin who asked about this matter of the proposed substation on Westmount Park, it says underlined at the top of the page under "The Proposed Use": "Planning Officers agree with this proposal subject to design criteria"?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel:
I am just reading the written question briefly. That may well be because the Planning Officers, in making those comments, are just talking about the design issues of the particular substation and not taking the siting of the substation in a potentially listable area into account.
- Senator P.F.C. Ozouf :
Sir, I know you do not normally ask Ministers to Ministers but this is a matter by discharge the function of Shell over the J.E.C. (Jersey Electricity Company), which is the matter in hand. I would be obliged if the Minister would confirm that while, of course, there needs to be a high protection of the wooded area, would he confirm his understanding that the area proposed for the substation is, in fact, the small disused quarry which could hardly be described as part of the woodland?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel:
The small disused quarry is not part of the woodland obviously but it is part of the park which might have a listed designation in the near future. That said, also I have not been made aware of any further suggestions by the J.E.C. or, indeed, the Minister for Treasury and Resources, as to other potential sites that could be used to place this energy substation.
The Connétable of St. Helier :
I have no more questions, thank you.
Senator P.F.C. Ozouf :
May I ask a question?
The Bailiff :
No, Senator. I think as one Minister to another, you can go and discuss it elsewhere.