13 July 2006
The Bel Royal application is for a Category A Housing Development to provide 129 homes, public amenity space and a community building at Fields 848, 851, 853, 854, 861, 862A and 863A, Bel Royal, St Lawrence. In the wake of the States debate last week, the current application falls to be determined by the Minister for Planning and Environment.
It has been arranged that a public hearing of the application will take place next Monday afternoon, 17 July 2006, at 3.15pm in the Members' Room at the Société Jersiaise. Following the hearing, the Minister will make his decision and the outcome will be notified in a written communication as soon as possible thereafter.
The use of a public hearing is a new procedure in Jersey, as a result of the recent new Planning Law. This provides an opportunity for the public to observe the Minister’s consideration of a major planning application. Both applicant and objectors will be able to state their case and the Minister will be able to ask questions of both parties. The hearing will be formal and structured. It will not be an open debate, as its purpose is to ensure that the Minister has all the information necessary to make his decision. The same period of time has been allotted to the objectors to the scheme and to the applicant. It is up to each to determine how that time is used and who will speak. The Minister will have before him the Department's written report and all of the written representations made (including consultation responses).
A hard copy of the Department's report on the application will be available from Planning and Building Services, South Hill, St Helier from Friday 14 July (0830-1700). Alternatively an electronic version of the report can be found on this site.
gov.je