Minister announces strategy to regenerate St Helier

11 April 2014

Jersey’s Planning Minister has announced a significant piece of work to explore opportunities to regenerate St Helier in the next 25 years.

The Future St Helier project will consist of a series of seminars and workshops and will seek opinions on how St Helier should develop during the coming decades in order that it becomes a better place to live and work and a capital all can be proud of.

Speaking at the Jersey Chamber of Commerce lunch on Thursday 10 April, Deputy Rob Duhamel said “Given the challenges our Island faces with a growing and ageing population, and our wish to protect our coast and countryside, we need to turn our strategic focus on St Helier.

“We must explore all options to develop our town and support the Island’s future success, while better meeting the needs of those living and working in our capital. This will involve making some tough decisions and looking at opportunities that some may think too radical.”

Explore all options to develop St Helier

Deputy Duhamel would like to explore and discuss a number of options to regenerate St Helier, including:

• better quality and more flexible urban living standards
• greener spaces inside and outside of buildings
• better connectivity and walking areas within town
• higher buildings in St Helier
• reacting to changes in retail trends and shopping districts
• adapting the movement of vehicles, cycles and pedestrians within St Helier
• developing urban gardens and community farms
• the need for Jersey to have one or more iconic buildings
• re-establishing town communities and districts
• redefining and protecting the town boundaries
• creating green and open spaces on the outskirts of town
• reviewing the layout and purpose of our town harbours
• exploring opportunities to make better use of the La Collette area

The Future St Helier work will be led by the Department of the Environment and begin with a series of workshops and seminars during the summer.

The work will include opportunities for all to get involved and share their ideas and views, culminating in a strategic framework being agreed by the States.