Charge for a Pèrmîns des Choses Publiques (FOI)

​​​Request

Land on Broad Street has recently been enclosed to create an outdoor eating and drinking area. The land in question is owned by the public and is classified as a road.

The Parish of St Helier will levy a charge for a Pèrmîns des Choses Publiques but is the occupier of the land paying rent to Government of Jersey for enabling the business to use the land?  If yes, how was the value of the rent calculated and if not, why has a business been allowed to exclusively use public land for free?

Response

The occupier of the land is not paying rent to the Government of Jersey for enabling the business to use the land.

The “Customary Law (Choses Publiques) (Jersey) Law 1993” only provides for a Parish to be able to levy a fee in connection with a permit to occupy a Chose Publique. 

The business has applied to the Parish under the provisions of “Customary Law (Choses Publiques) (Jersey) Law 1993” to use the subject Chose Publique.

As the Chose Publique is under the administration of the Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister has consented to the application, as provided under the Law.​