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3.11 Deputy J.H. Young of the Minister for Planning and Environment regarding a review of the Masterplan for the Esplanade Quarter:
I was trying not to get caught in the crossfire there. Does the Minister intend to review the Masterplan for the Esplanade Quarter following the changes made by the States of Jersey Development Company to their implementation plan, the loss of their anchor tenant and the changed economic circumstances to ensure the Masterplan is relevant, up to date and applicable to the needs and aspirations of the community?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel of St. Saviour (The Minister for Planning and Environment):
The Deputy will be aware that master planning as an exercise is generally for a longer timeframe than individual planning applications. The permits that are generally given run to 5 years. This particular Masterplan has been running since 2006. Admittedly, there have been some changes and there have been some questions asked as to the long-term deliverability of the public realm improvements that were a conditional part of the master planning exercise in the first place. So I think he is right generally. There will come a point in time, as with any accounting type analysis, where you reach a breakeven point, at which perhaps if the long-term deliverability of those public realm improvements is unable to be offered and proposed by the developing company, then perhaps that will trigger a review of the whole Masterplan for that area. The Deputy will also know that we are 5 months from a new Government and I think, to answer his question more succinctly, in those intervening 5 months I do not think we will have reached that particular breakpoint at which a review might well be encouraged or undertaken.
- Deputy J.H. Young:
I am grateful for the Minister's answer. Can I ask him to confirm the answer he gave to the same question 2 years ago that he was open to review the Masterplan? Could he confirm that his mind is still open and would he also highlight when he thinks or at least what circumstance will bring about this breakeven point that he referred to when circumstances are so changed that we really need to look at the whole Masterplan?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel:
Yes, my mind is still open to a potential review but, as I mentioned, there has to be a point at which the expectation of the deliverability of the public realm improvements becomes evident as being unobtainable. I am advised by the applicant company that we have not reached that point as yet, although inevitably some of the public realm improvements have been moved to the future somewhat. I would expect that a 10-year period - which means that 2016 is the date - might well be the point at which a reconsideration might well be undertaken, albeit sooner if, indeed, the applicant company is unable to assure me that the deliverables are undeliverable.
- Deputy J.H. Young:
The Minister there referred to the key point being that the promised and expected improvements to the public realm will be unobtainable, either from the company coming to that conclusion itself or otherwise. Would he confirm that not having sufficient demand for offices resulting in piecemeal development and/or the existence of a major litigation claim which could wipe out that public realm benefit would bring about this review?
Deputy R.C. Duhamel:
I think the Deputy is aware that what he is referring to are speculative kinds of conditions which may or may not occur. If these things do occur, then this Minister, if I am still on the block, will take steps to review the Masterplan.
[11:00]
If indeed these things do not occur, then I think we can all expect at least a reasonable semblance of the outcomes that the Masterplan is designed to procure.