22 November 2016
The Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce, has announced a public inquiry into the planning application to create a leisure and activity centre in St Mary and St Lawrence.
Tamba Ltd has applied to create a leisure and activity centre in association with Tamba Park at Retreat Farm and Field 772, La Rue de la Frontiere in St Mary and St Lawrence. The proposed development includes demolishing existing glasshouses and to change the use of the site to create a leisure and activity centre and construct 15 dwellings with associated parking and landscaping. The application also includes the creation of a bus shelter and toilets to the west of the site and altering the vehicle access onto La Rue de la Frontiere. The application reference number is P/2016/1483.
Deputy Luce has decided that the application is a departure from normal planning policy and is also of sufficient public interest to hold an inquiry. The land is in the Green Zone on the 2014 Island Plan, where there is a general presumption against development, and where exceptional reasons are required to justify new buildings.
Next steps will be
- the Minister will appoint an independent planning inspector
- a website will be set up to allow people to comment on the application
- a date will be set for the inquiry
Details of the application can be found online or viewed at the Department of the Environment Offices, South Hill, St Helier.
Application reference : P/2016/1483
A public inquiry is an open and accessible investigation of a planning application. An inquiry is usually held when an application is complex or contentious. It helps to provide a deeper understanding of the benefits and disadvantages of a project. The public inquiry is chaired by an independent planning inspector, and often includes a public hearing of one day (or more). The hearing is open to the public to attend. People can also apply to make a verbal submission in person. The inspector reads all submissions and writes a detailed report, with recommendations, to the Minister, who makes the final decision.
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