24 September 2014
The Minister for Planning and Environment has added a number of important buildings to Jersey’s list of Sites of Special Interest.
Deputy Rob Duhamel has listed six buildings that form part of the Channel Island Co-operative Society’s planning application (P/2014/1497) for an area of town near Charing Cross.
These buildings, in Dumaresq and Pitt Street, make up what’s considered to be a small and rare surviving cluster of the old town quarter from the eighteenth and early nineteenth century and show how town developed.
Earliest homes in town
The buildings are also of special historical interest because they are some of the earliest homes in town (of which there were only 400 in 1734) and very few have survived.
8 Dumaresq Street, and 4 and 5-6 Pitt Street have all been assigned a grade 3. Numbers 6 and 7 Dumaresq Street, St Helier have been assigned a grade 4, which recognises that they have less architectural significance than the other buildings in the group because they’ve undergone more alteration.
Jersey Heritage make independent, impartial and informed recommendations to the Minister about the heritage value of sites, leading to them being listed. A recent legal ruling confirmed that any decision on whether to list important Jersey buildings must be made on the heritage value of the building alone, and not on the state of the building, the cost of repairing it or the planning implications of listing it.
In making his decision, the minister considered all the representations he received but the special interest of the buildings is still considered valid.
Greater protection in law
Under the 2002 Planning and Building law, Deputy Rob Duhamel has to put buildings or places which have public importance on the List of Sites of Special Interest. They then have greater protection in law because once listed, owners must apply for permission to make any changes to that building which might affect its special interest.
However, listed buildings can be altered, extended and, in very exceptional circumstances, even demolished, but those decisions are made in a separate application process.
Deputy Duhamel also agreed to list Eulah - an Edwardian home on Mont Cochon. The building, which was a hotel in recent years, is thought to be a notable and rare example of an Edwardian house, with Arts and Crafts influence. It reflects the building fashions of the day and the aspirations of some parts of the community at this time in the Island’s history.
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