DATE OF REPORT:- 1 st April 2009
REPORT TO THE HOUSING MINISTER
LE SQUEZ REGENERATION PROJECT - APPROVAL OF MASTER PLAN DRAWINGS & APPROVAL OF DETAILED DESIGN DRAWINGS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PHASE 2
BACKGROUND
On 19th March 2004 the States approved P19.2004 proposals for the regeneration of the Le Marais and Le Squez housing estates by demolition and rebuilding and or significant refurbishment, accepting that the funding for the works projected at some £50m overall would primarily come from the sale of homes developed on the sites. Both estates would then be developed on a mixed tenure basis.
The regeneration of Le Marais is substantively complete and the first two phases of Le Squez, Phase 1a and Phase 1b have been complete for some time.
The completion of Phase1b Le Squez created an opportunity to revisit the initial master plan with the benefit of more up to date cost information and crucially, information on the needs and aspirations of States tenants and the wider community. It was seen as vital that best use be made of the remainder of Le Squez and that every effort be made to change the estate into something more reminiscent of a modern village.
A new architectural team was commissioned after a competitive appointment process and that team has been working on developing a new master plan for the completion of the regeneration project as well as more detailed proposals for the next phase of building.
Central to the master plan development have been a number of guiding principals:-
- That the completed project should be reminiscent of a modern day village and should sit far more comfortably in its environment
- That sufficient community facilities should be introduced so as to ensure that in the long term there is adequate support for residents
- That the design and the homes ultimately constructed should adopt the principals of sustainable development and that particular attention should be given to ‘Green’ or ‘Eco’ issues.
- That every opportunity should be provided for the Community to be engaged in the development of the master plan
The design team headed by Dyson Buesnel Architects set to work and engaged with a number of key stakeholders in the area, including but not limited to:-
- Eastern Good Companions Club
- Transport and Technical Services
A new master plan began to evolve. It suggested that there were a number of options available for improving the local environment, making use of existing assets, addressing a number of existing concerns, such as road safety, whilst still ensuring the delivery of high quality housing meeting many of the criteria for sustainable development.
This master plan was widely consulted on between 8th November 2008 and 28th February 2009
Feedback on the master plan was interesting, key themes being:-
- Significant support for providing a contiguous link between Samares School and the FB Sports Fields
- Significant support for the redirection of Le Squez Road to reduce traffic speed
- Significant support for the proposed closure of School Road in front of Samares School
- Overwhelming support for increased community facilities
- The need for more 2 bedroom properties to allow existing tenants of 3 and 4 bedroom homes to downsize within the community
- Support for the proposed recycling point
The master plan subsequently developed is capable of delivering on all of these aspirations.
The next key stage which is crucial to progressing the next phase of development is the submission of a planning application for the redevelopment of phase 2 which will be made up of 76 new homes. The Minister has reviewed the outline drawings for phase 2 on a number of occasions as they have developed and site layouts for the development are shown in the attached Planning Brochure containing the following information:-
Extract from Drawing 405/07/P04
Masterplan Analysis
Extract from Drawing 405/07/ESC11
Phase II Site Plan
Perspectives (1)
Perspectives (2)
Unit Types
Landscaping
Pedestrians / Cyclists Buses
Utilities / Services
Storey Heights
Car Access & Parking
Design Guidance
Delivering phase 2 does require that we can demonstrate to the Planning Department how the homes will sit in context with the remainder of the regeneration project, hence the need for an overall master plan in some degree of refinement. Phase 2 also relies on the diversion of part of Le Squez Road so again the master plan must demonstrate how this will be facilitated and the overall affect on the remainder of the site. Drawings setting out the overall master plan are attached and numbered:-
405/07/P01 405/07/P10 405/07/P19
405/07/P02 405/07/P11 405/07/P20
405/07/P03 405/07/P12 405/07/P21
405/07/P04 405/07/P13 405/07/P22
405/07/P05 405/07/P14 405/07/P23
405/07/P06 405/07/P15 405/07/P24
405/07/P07 405/07/P16 405/07/P25
405/07/P08 405/07/P17 405/07/P26
405/07/P09 405/07/P18 405/07/P27
Probably the most significant of the proposals set out in the master plan is the provision of a direct link to the FB playing fields for Samares School and opening up that facility for general community use, similar to the arrangement at Les Quennevais. In the process a ‘School Square’ is created and School Road is closed. This key feature of the design began to suggest that the school and the services provided from within its confines, such as the NSPCC ‘Pathways’ project represented the centre or ‘Community Hub’ for the regeneration project providing a ‘hub’ for community support and engagement for the future. This is a bold objective but one which if delivered upon will deliver on many of the priorities set out in the draft States Strategic Plan, presently out for consultation. (Priorities 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 & 15).
Achieving the ‘prize’ of unlocking the FB Playing Fields necessitates a swap in land usage between land presently used for housing and that presently used by the School for parking and sports purposes.
Proposals for how the usage of land will change in order to deliver on the regeneration master plan have been the subject of significant discussion with the Minister for Education, Sport & Culture, his Assistant Ministers and Management Team. They have all demonstrated significant commitment to the project and to its overall objectives and have endorsed the master plan and what it sets out to achieve. Achieving such far reaching and significant change will not be possible without their continued support and encouragement. In that respect Education Sport & Culture Assistant Ministers, Deputy Ann Dupré and Deputy Andrew Green have assisted greatly in bringing together a working party led by Housing Assistant Minister, Deputy Sean Power and made up of representatives from all the key stakeholder groups. This group is engaged in an ongoing process aimed at refining the ultimate make up and form that the ‘Community Hub’ will take to ensure that it truly does meet the needs of the community now whilst allowing sufficient flexibility as needs change over time. This process continues and is likely to be ongoing for some time and in the interests of moving forward with the development of the new homes on phase 2 at a time when our local building industry would welcome the work the Department would like to go ahead with submission of the requisite planning applications before work starts in earnest on bye law approvals and the preparation of tender packages.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Minister:-
- Endorse the proposals for the development of phase 2 Le Squez as set out in drawings numbered 405/07/P01 to 405/07/P27 inclusive together with the associated Planning Brochure.
- Authorise the submission of an application to the Planning Department for the redevelopment as set out in drawings numbered 405/07/P01 to 405/07/P27 inclusive together with the associated Planning Brochure
- Request the formal endorsement of the Minister for Education Sport and Culture to the proposals set out in the Master Plan drawings 405/07/P01 to 405/07/P27 inclusive together with the associated Planning Brochure
- Requested that the Minister for Treasury & Resources endorse the proposals relating to the regeneration project and in particular the exchanges of Public land between Education Sport & Culture and Housing as set out in the master plan drawings 405/07/P01 to 405/07/P27 inclusive together with the associated Planning Brochure
- Direct that an approach be made to the Planning & Environment Minister requesting that the application be given priority given its significance for the community and its potential ability to help stimulate the economy
Report Drafted By: ______________________________ Date
Director of Estate Services
Report Approved By: _____________________________ Date
Chief Officer