East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier: List of Sites of Special Interest

Information about the publication of Ministerial Decisions

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision
providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made (22.07.2009) to add East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier to the List of Sites of Special Interest.

Decision Ref:	MD–PE–2009-0061
Subject:	List as a Site of Special Interest: East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier
Decision Summary Title:	DS - List as a Site of Special Interest
DS Author:	Assistant Director
DS Date:	01 April 2009	DS Status:	Public
Written Report Title:	WR – List as a Site of Special Interest: East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier
WR Author:	Head of Historic Buildings (Jersey Heritage)
WR Date	24 March 2009	WR Status:	Public
Oral Rapporteur:	Assistant Director: Policy and Projects / Head of Historic Buildings (Jersey Heritage)
Decision(s):	The Minister for Planning and Environment intends to add East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier to the List of Sites of Special Interest
Reason(s) for Decision:	1. The special interest of East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier, as defined and in the schedule and relative to the published criteria for selection, justifies its inclusion on the List of Sites of Special Interest in accordance with the provisions and purposes of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002 and; 2. it accords with the States Strategic Plan commitment of protecting and sympathetically managing the Island’s built heritage assets.
Legal and Resource Implications:	Article 51(2)(b) of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002 enables the Minister to include on the List of Sites of Special Interest those buildings and places that the Minister is satisfied has public importance by reason of the special archaeological, architectural, artistic, historical, scientific or traditional interest that attached to the building or place.
Action required:	Serve Notice of the Minister’s Intent upon the owner and/or the site
Signature:
Position:	Minister for Planning and Environment
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different to Date Signed):

East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier: List of Sites of Special Interest

List of Sites of Special Interest

East Warehouse, 27 Esplanade, St Helier

This report has been prepared by Jersey Heritage as part of its responsibility under a Service Level Agreement to provide reports and recommendations to the Minister for Planning and Environment on the architectural, historical and archaeological significance of buildings and sites.

The assessment and recommendation are made in accordance with Article 51 of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law, 2002; Policy G11 of the Jersey Island Plan, 2002; and criteria for the identification and designation of historic buildings in SPG Practice Note 9, 2008. The report includes the views and advice offered by the Ministerial Registration and Listing Advisory Group.

Author of report: Roger Hills BA(Hons) MA DipBldgCons (RICS) IHBC Head of Historic Buildings

Date of report: 24 March 2009

File ref: HE0129

Current status

Not registered.

Relevant interests of the site (see schedule)

Historic interest

1890s merchant’s store / warehouse with historical associations with Jersey’s potato trade.

The merchant’s store was built in the 1890s by William Huelin timber merchants and was leased in 1906 to the Wholesale Co-operative Society Limited who operated the site for many years as a purchasing depot for Jersey potatoes, which were then packed and stored in the warehouse before being shipped to the United Kingdom. The site was leased to the Channel Islands Tyre Co. Ltd in 1971.

The building is of special historical interest as the only substantially surviving warehouse remaining on the Esplanade - a memorable reminder of the street’s commercial history and the hey-day of potato exports. Warehouses such as this were once characteristic of the wider waterfront area of St Helier, but their functional redundancy and large scale replacement and conversion has given the survivors rarity value and greater significance.

Architectural interest

The warehouse was originally one of a pair of buildings flanking a central vehicular throughway - part of a larger historic plot that once extended to Sand Street. Other parts of the site have been demolished or re-modelled but the East Warehouse retains its historic envelope.

The special architectural interest of the building is principally related to the distinctive structure and character of its timber-framed warehouse interior. The substantial timber framing and support structures survive – the most massive framing being found at the lowest level and the scantling of the timbers progressively decreasing in the higher floors. The building is divided into a series of bays, each expressed by a major transverse beam, with sturdily joisted flooring at each level. At ground floor, the beam ends sit in pockets in the granite outer wall and are supported at the other end by an L-shaped post and plate which butts up against the sales rooms. The first floor is similarly divided into bays but with a central line of supporting T-shaped posts – the head of each post carrying a superimposed timber plate which is stepped and bullnosed at the ends. A timber stair ladder provides access to the loft level with exposed timber roof frame.

Traditional interest

The warehouse has traditional interest because of its associations with the Jersey potato trade - a significant part of the Island’s agricultural, economic and cultural history; and its use of materials and construction techniques represents the end of a long building tradition.

Advice offered by MRLAG (and others if stated)

MRLAG visited 27 Esplanade on 9 March 2009 and inspected the interior of the warehouse. Members noted the interests as set out above and agreed that the distinctive structure and character of the timber-framed warehouse interior merits protection - observing that the use of materials and construction represents the end of a long building tradition. It was also agreed that the warehouse has rarity value. 10 members were in favour of listing the East Warehouse as an SSI.

Members were unanimous that no other parts of the 27 Esplanade site merit being registered.

Jersey Heritage recommendation

List the East Warehouse at 27 Esplanade as an SSI.

Justification relating to criteria

The listing of the East Warehouse at 27 Esplanade is in accordance with the existing criteria for assessment and designation of historic buildings as the warehouse illustrates a significant aspect of Jersey’s social, economic and cultural history; and the internal structure of the building contributes significantly to its special interest because of its distinctive character.