PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT
St Helier Street Life Programme
La Motte Street Pedestrian Improvements
Charing Cross Open Space lighting repairs
Purpose of the Report
This purpose of this report is to enable the Minister to consider the release of funds, from the Urban Renewal capital budget, to undertake works to implement a pedestrian improvements scheme in La Motte Street; and to fund the carrying out of repairs to lighting at the public open space in Charing Cross.
La Motte Street Pedestrian Improvements
Background and discussion
Changes to enhance the quality of the public realm in La Motte Street have been promoted by the Connétable of St Helier, with the support of the St Helier Urban Task Force. These changes, involving widening pavements and relaying them in granite; narrowing the carriageway, reducing on-street parking; raising the carriageway surface; introducing more al fresco seating; new lighting and the introduction of new cycle parking, are consistent with the work to enhance the pedestrian realm in the heart of the town undertaken under the auspices of the St Helier Street Life Programme.
Consultation on these proposals was undertaken by the Parish of St Helier in January 2008 (at appendix 1); with the response to consultation detailed at appendix 2. The Parish of St Helier’s Roads Committee has subsequently endorsed the scheme and committed to provide £25,000 in support of its implementation.
The St Helier Development and Regeneration Strategy (2007) by EDAW suggested that La Motte Street might be made two-way to provide vehicular access to Mulcaster Street for bus traffic. This has not been supported by the Minister for Transport and Technical Services (MD-T-2009-0020 @ appendix 3), which leaves open the possibility of implementing the proposed pedestrian improvement scheme.
The scheme will also involve the loss and re-arrangement of on-street parking places and unloading facilities. This has been considered and agreed by the Minister for Transport and Technical Services (MD-T-2009-0037 and MD-T-2009-0036) at appendices 4 and 5 respectively.
Costs and funding
This scheme was originally proposed to be funded through contributions from the Parish of St Helier (at £25,000) and from WEB (at £50,000). PoSH has confirmed its contribution. Funding from WEB has not been forthcoming.
The current cost estimate for these works from Transport and Technical Services is £197,150.00 as set out appendix 6.
There are sufficient funds available in the Urban Renewal capital budget in support of this work, which is consistent with the St Helier Street Life Programme, which has been used to fund similar work previously. The balance of the Urban Renewal budget is set out at appendix 7.
Subject to the release of funding, works will commence straight away and proceed to implementation before the summer of 2009.
Charing Cross Open Space lighting repairs
Background and discussion
Works to undertake traffic management changes, involving the closure of one lane of traffic south-bound along York Street, and the reclamation of road space to create a new public open space at Charing Cross were undertaken in 2006/07. This was complemented by new public art (in the form of the ‘Crapaud’ sculpture by Gordon Young) and new lighting. This work was undertaken under the auspices of the St Helier Street Life Programme and funded by the Urban Renewal budget.
Since the implementation of this work, there have been problems with the lighting installation. This has been assessed and repaired by Transport and Technical Services Department (detailed at appendix 8).
T&TS have met the costs of the hard landscaping works associated with effecting this repair and have requested that Urban Renewal funds are used to meet the costs of electrical repair for the lighting. The cost of this work equates to £3,136.20.
It is envisaged that any such payment would be a one-off contribution, and that any subsequent repairs or maintenance of elements of schemes which serve to enhance the public realm, and which are sponsored by the Urban Renewal budget, would fall to the relevant authority responsible for the maintenance of the town’s or Island’s infrastructure (ie T&TS or PoSH).
There are sufficient funds available in the Urban Renewal budget to meet the costs of this work (see appendix 7).
Recommendation
On the basis that the proposed pedestrian improvements to La Motte Street are consistent with the objective of enhancing the public realm of the town centre, and that the detailed changes relating to parking and unloading arrangements are supported by both the strategic and local highway authorities it is recommended that the Minister for Planning and Environment authorises the release of funds, to the value of £172,150.00, from the Urban Renewal capital budget to enable this scheme to proceed to implementation.
It is further recommended that the Minister for Planning and Environment authorises the release of funds from the Urban Renewal capital budget to the value of £3,136.20 in respect of the electrical repairs to lighting at Charing Cross.
Reason(s) for Decision
1. The proposed pedestrian improvements to La Motte Street are consistent with the objective of enhancing the public realm of the town centre;
2. The sharing of the cost of the repairs to lighting at Charing Cross, with the Transport and Technical Services Department, will enable the utility and amenity of the space to be maintained;
3. There are sufficient funds available in the Urban Renewal capital budget to support these works, which are consistent with the objectives of urban renewal.
Legal and resource implications
The legal responsibility for the carrying out of these works to the highway is exercised by the Minister for Transport and Technical Services. There are sufficient resources within the Urban Renewal budget to fund these works, as set out at appendix 7.
Action Required
- Notify T&TS of the release of funds to enable implementation of La Motte Street proposals to proceed;
- Release of funding to pay for Charing Cross lighting repairs
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