Environment Review - Spring 2008

Perhaps, not surprisingly, yet again a continuing major concern is the future of the Waterfront, even though this has involved the Section at one remove because its voice is heard through the Chairman and André Ferrari, who with the Société's past President, Francis Corbet, attend meetings of what is now called the Waterfront Design Group. The small change of name reflects the fact that the group regularly meets Hopkins' (architects) chief representative to try to ensure that the appearance of the new development has some relevance to St Helier and the Island.

A problem is that the grid structure that defines the two basement levels of car parking is carried on upwards and determines the rectangular shapes of the 16 or so blocks that provide accommodation for the finance houses that are expected to be the major occupants of the area released by the covering-over of the roadway. Residential use is at the western end of the site and the site itself contains three public open spaces: a welcomed recent proposal is that the largest of the public areas should be sunk below the general level, with the change in level giving character and allowing pedestrians to be easily aware of where they are at any time.

The Design Group is also pressing for a number of different architects to be employed, so that there is a variety of approaches in the design and treatment of individual blocks. It is hoped that locally-based architects will be involved.

With the arrival of Spring, Parish Halls will soon be sent an invitation to nominate a lane for the 2008 Scenic Lanes Award. Le Mont des Routeurs in St Ouen was a clear winner for 2007, having come second in the previous year. We have been asked if it would be possible to give some feedback on how each parish fared under the seven criteria by which the lanes are assessed. We appreciated that this could be a useful aid in guiding Parishes as to where their best candidate might fail in comparison to others but, at first, we thought this comparison and analysis would be too difficult for us to attempt. However, a volunteer thought otherwise and, to prove us wrong, has compiled a sheet showing each parish how it compared with the others. These will be distributed with the invitations that will be going out soon. If you have an idea for a lane that your Parish may not have considered, I am sure that it will be welcomed.

Our other move to encourage care of the countryside would have taken the form of a leaflet summarising the most sensitive way of carrying out Branchage responsibilities but that has been deferred once more. In collaboration with the National Trust for Jersey a Draft was produced and shown to the Comité des Connétables. They may suggest changes, particularly if there are any changes in the Branchage Law following a recent public consultation.

Consultation is taking place about changes to the Island Development Plan. Various groups are meeting and all are interested in hearing of changes that people feel should be made to the version that was eventually brought into effect in 2002. If you have a comment to make, keep an eye open for advertisements or contact the Planning and Environment Departments at South Hill or Howard Davis Farm.

Disappointingly, a new Appeal process intended to give objectors the same right of appeal against planning decisions that is open to developers fell at the first fence. A Section member hoping to appeal on environmental and procedural grounds against a decision to allow a five storey office block at the corner of Green Street and Colomberie got within two days of a Royal Court hearing when it was confirmed that, although the new process would not lay an appellant open to costs at that hearing, a developer could then appeal against that decision – and this would run the same risk of unaffordably high costs. A Committee of Inquiry is now expected to be established to find a different way of contesting decisions which would not financially penalise those who might wish to appeal.

R Anthony - Section Chairman