Roche Banque, La Route de la Cote, St. Martin: Planning Application considered by Minister

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A decision made on 8 April 2011:

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2011-0035
Decision Summary Title	Planning Applications Panel – decisions considered by Minister		Date of Decision Summary:	8th April 2011.
Decision Summary Author:	Chief Officer Department of the Environment		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written & Oral		Person Giving Oral Report:	Chief Officer Department of the Environment
Written Report Title	P/2010/0804 – Report to Planning Applications Panel		Date of Written Report:	09/02/2011
Written Report Author:	Planner		Written Report : Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: P/2010/0804. Roche Banque, La Route de la Cote, St. Martin. Construct 1 No. dwelling. REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION of refusal of planning permission.
Decision(s): To maintain refusal of the application for the following reasons; The site is located within the Green Backdrop Zone and is currently well-vegetated, thereby providing a valuable break in the surrounding built context along La Route de la Côte. As part of any application for development within this zone, the natural landscape must remain as the dominant element in the scene; in addition, development proposals must present satisfactory proposals for new planting. In this instance, these policy criteria have not been met as the proposed scheme would lead to an unacceptable loss of vegetation thereby having a harmful impact on the general street character. For this reason, therefore, the application fails to satisfy the requirements of Policies G2 (I, ii, & iv), BE10 and H8 (ii & iii), of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002. The site, which is narrow and steeply sloping, is considered to be an unsuitable and inappropriate location for the siting of a new dwelling. In order to accommodate the proposed development, a significant volume of material is required to be excavated from the site. This is excessive and would result in a contrived and intrusive development which fails to respect the natural character and condition of the site. For this reason, therefore, the application fails to satisfy the requirements of Policies G2 (i & ii), H8 (ii, iii & vii), WM1 and WM2 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002. The proposed development fails to provide any on-site car parking, contrary to the Minister for Planning and Environment's parking standards. It is likely that this would increase the pressure on public car parking in the vicinity. For this reason, therefore, the application fails to satisfy the requirements of Policies G2 (vii & viii) and H8 (v) of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002.
Reason(s) for Decision: The Minister for Planning and Environment became aware that Planning Applications Panel (PAP) may not have been fully constituted for consideration of the above application and resolved to reconsider the application. The Minister considered all the relevant information including the information presented to the Planning Applications Panel. The Decision to refuse the application has been upheld having taken into account the relevant policies of the approved Island Plan, together with other relevant policies and all other materials considerations, including the consultations and representations received.
Resource Implications: There are no resource implications.
Action required: Issue notifications of the decision as appropriate.
Signature: Senator FE Cohen		Position: Minister for Planning and Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision