20 May 2016
25 new homes are to be built on the site of the Old Court House Hotel in Gorey, following Planning Applications Committee approval.
Dandara applied (P/2016/0137) to build 18 apartments and seven houses on the site at La Rue a Don, Grouville. The houses will be built in a traditional style and will face Old Road, in the heart of Gorey Village.
The apartments will be in a larger, more contemporary building central to the site. Parking will be where the current hotel carpark is and a new pedestrian route will be created through the site linking Old Road with Grouville Common.
There were five letters of objection and one letter of support for the development. The committee asked for a reduction in the size of one of the homes. In making its decision, members balanced the impact of the development on neighbours, against the need to provide more homes within the built up area.
Historic crane on the New North Quay saved
A request by Ports of Jersey to demolish an historic crane in St Helier Harbour was rejected by the Planning Applications Committee.
It confirmed its decision to refuse Ports of Jersey permission to knock down Crane 13, a listed structure on the New North Quay. The crane is the smallest, oldest and most northerly on the quay.
Ports of Jersey applied (P/2016/0032) to demolish it because they argue the ongoing costs of maintaining it are too high and that it poses a risk to the health and safety of port users.
A planning department report referred to guidelines on listed buildings which state that the demolition of any protected buildings should be wholly exceptional and should require the strongest justification. It also states that consent for demolition should not be expected to be given just because redevelopment is economically more attractive to the developer than repair or reuse.
Committee members debated the matter extensively with representatives of Ports of Jersey during the meeting and, although refusing the application, advised that a different proposal, which provides a more positive future for the crane, might be better received.
Jersey Heritage has suggested the crane could be relocated to outside the Maritime Museum, although it stated that it did not have any funds available for its restoration.
Domino’s Pizza for St Saviour’s Road
The former Graham Hotel on St Saviour’s Road is to become a Domino’s Pizza resturant and takeaway.
The premises were previously in use as a bar and restaurant but have been vacant for approximately five years. The Planning Applications Committee agreed the change of use (P/2016/0191) to include a takeaway.
A planning department report noted objections from the Parish of St Helier and Environmental Health on grounds of traffic and noise, but also welcomed the building being used again, in line with an Island Plan objective for the regeneration of the north of St Helier.
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