02 August 2010
The Planning and Environment Minister has issued outline planning consent for the Esplanade Quarter development.
However, the Minister has deferred a decision on a detailed application until he has been provided with further information and no consent will be forthcoming until both the Planning and Treasury Ministers are entirely satisfied in respect of the financial issues surrounding the proposals.
The Esplanade Quarter development reconnects the town with the waterfront and will provide new offices for our financial services industry, new homes, new streets, a public covered winter-garden, public squares, public open space and works of art.
In 2008 the States enthusiastically supported the Esplanade Quarter Masterplan designed by Hopkins Architects. This outline consent moves the scheme on significantly but no works can begin on site until detailed applications have been submitted and approved by the Minister.
The outline consent sets the framework expected of any future detailed application for buildings. The outline consent details the sustainability credentials required of any future buildings. Office buildings will for example be required to meet BREEAM environmental standards and residential buildings will be expected to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes standards. Separated waste facilities must be provided and a sustainable transport solution delivered. The Esplanade Quarter will not just be the future centre of Jersey’s financial services community, it will also set new standards for holistic environmental development in the Island.
The outline application consent runs with the land and consequently delivers the benefit of the consent to the public as the landowner. The consent has been issued subject to a full set of conditions to control and direct the scheme. A Planning Obligation Agreement, providing extra protection to the public, has also been agreed and signed by the Waterfront Enterprise Board, the Minister for Transport and Technical services, the Planning Minister and the Treasury Minister.
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