01 March 2013
The Planning Applications Panel has refused a second request by Jersey Property Holdings to develop Gorey Boat Yard in St Martin.
Property Holdings had applied for permission to demolish the former boat yard and chandlery and build three three-bedroom town houses. The shop beside the boat yard, the Old Sail Loft Boutique, is not part of the application.
Planning had argued that building homes on the site was anti-business and went against the States policy on economic regeneration by taking an existing commercial site out of use for new employment activities, as set out in Planning’s ‘protection of employment land’ policy.
Planners also argued that Property Holdings did not provide enough information to judge how the new scheme would look in relation to Mont Orgueil Castle and its impact on the overall character of Gorey Pier.
At a Planning Applications Panel meeting yesterday, Property Holdings asked panel members to reconsider their prior refusal. But after a site visit earlier in the week, the panel refused the application again because of its impact on the setting of Mont Orgueil Castle. However, members did agree that some redevelopment of the site would be desirable.
Plans for the site, which is currently for sale, attracted 373 comments to the register of online planning applications.
Deferral for farm workers’ portakabins
Panel members also decided to defer a planning application from an owner of a farm in St Mary to replace 11 existing, unauthorised portakabins with ten new units. The panel was split; three votes for the application and three against.
Cheraleen, a large modern farm complex on La Rue d'Olive, has agricultural sheds, and 300 vergees of land, mainly growing Jersey Royal potatoes. The six portakabins were put up in 1992 to house farm workers, but should have been taken down in 1995. There are now 11 unauthorised units on the site.
The department had recommended refusal of the application because of a policy against development in the Green Zone to protect Jersey’s countryside. The matter will now be referred to the Minister for a final decision.
Beau Couperon
The owner of a former 19th century military barracks in Rozel has been granted permission for a development scheme that includes sensitive renovation of some of the listed buildings and perimeter walls on site.
Beau Couperon used to be a hotel and restaurant. In 2008, the former Planning Minister, Senator Freddie Cohen granted the owner permission to develop ten homes with a basement car park on the site, but these were never built. Instead, the property owner wants to build a single home, plus staff accommodation.
Yesterday, the Planning Applications Panel agreed with the Planning Department’s conclusion that the new plans reduce the size of the development, respect the character of the existing listed buildings and the character of the area, and improve road safety.
Driveway without permission must be dug up
A St Lawrence householder who created a driveway to his field without permission will now be asked to dig it up. The householder removed top soil and laid hardcore to create a drive into a field on La Rue des Varvots.
Planners argued that the field is in a sensitive part of the Green Zone and is an agricultural field with conditions which restrict it to being used for agricultural and horticultural purposes. The Planning Applications Panel agreed and refused the application to keep the unauthorised track. The owner will now be ordered to restore the field to its former condition.
Rue de la Croute
The panel also refused an application to build five new homes on an area of hardstanding that is part of a farm development at St Ouen. After a site visit Rue de la Croute, off La Route de Vinchelez, members decided that the application was not in keeping with the general character of the area and would be an overdevelopment of the site.
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