Comment on Charing Cross vacant site petition

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A decision made (08.05.06) for the Minister to comment on the Charing Cross vacant site petition.

Subject:	P38/2006, Charing Cross: vacant site- petition. Comment of Minister for Treasury and Resources
Decision Reference:	MD-TR-2006-0065	Exempt clause(s):		N/A
Type of Report: (oral or written)	Oral	Person Giving Report (if oral):		Eric Le Ruez Director- property Holdings
Telephone or e-mail Meeting?		Report File ref:
Written Report – Title	N/A	Written report - author		N/A
Decision(s): The Minister decided to comment on P.38/2006 as follows: ‘There is a pressing need for better use to be made of this valuable site. Open space within urban areas is important, but this area of St Helier is already better served than most by wide pavements, by the improvements at Charing Cross and Broad Street, the seating opposite the Town Hall and the nearby Parade Gardens. As Treasury and Resource Minister my responsibility is to maximise the value of this piece of land for the benefit of the Island. In seeking to obtain the best value from the site it is not just financial value which is taken into account but the overall benefit to the community. The incorporation of this site within a larger redevelopment project would facilitate the regeneration of this corner, providing a much improved townscape and an economic uplift to the area, together with some worthwhile additional accommodation within the town centre. These benefits, as well as the capital receipt generated from sale, significantly outweigh whatever limited benefits there might be arising from retaining the area as an open space. On these grounds the proposition is not supported.’
Reason(s) for decision: To inform the States of the Minister’s views on P.38/2006 and the use of the site at Charing Cross to which it refers.
Action required: Director of Property Holdings to forward comments to the Greffier of the States with request that these are presented to the States.
Signature: (Minister/Assistant Minister)			Date of Decision: 8th May 2006