Two skatepark designs put to Planning in last-minute truce

Thursday 11 February 2021

Planning applications for skateparks at both South Hill Gardens and Les Quennevais will be submitted instead of just one, following a 180 flip that saw a political battle for one over the other turn into a truce.

However, though a majority of States Members agreed with submitting two separate proposals, a number of politicians voiced their discontent, calling the conclusion emblematic of “dysfunction” and “a complete lack of a system of Governance that actually is able to make a decision.”

It came after the dramatic kickflip in yesterday’s debate to decide where the Skate Park should go, with the Assembly adjourning so that both Senator Steve Pallett and Senator Lyndon Farnham could discuss a compromise whereby two planning applications are submitted.

Pictured: Senators Steve Pallett and Lyndon Farnham agreed that putting both applications forward and ensuring one made it through was the best process.

Explaining the solution he had negotiated with Senator Pallett, Senator Farnham said: “We would aim to submit both planning applications by the end of this month – the Les Quennevais application is likely to go first because it is far more advanced than South Hill Gardens.”

He continued: “Our aim would be to deliver both projects, a really good facility for Les Quennevais and a really good one for St. Helier, preferably at South Hill at this stage, subject of course to additional funding planning and the size of design.” 

However, details on these costs and funding were left vague, with Senator Farnham saying: “We’ll have to assess a total cost, and if required we can repurpose funds from our budget for any additional costs - this would not come from existing sport budgets, it would likely come from underspends in other projects.”

Pictured: Deputies Montfort Tadier and Rob Ward hit out at what they saw as an inability of the States to make a decision.

On the prospect of satellite facilities, Senator Farnham was similarly open on costing, saying: “...our amendment does commit to other projects in the east of the island - that is very important as a number of members have pointed out, and the budget for that would need to be determined.” 

Talking about the island's skatepark provision overall, he later added: “We also support reinvesting in the existing facilities at St. Ouen and St. John, and we also support and commit to delivering a further satellite facility plan for St Helier over the next two years. 

“Some preliminary estimates that a further £1m would be required to deliver the full programme.”

The lack of a definite decision on a site from the Assembly frustrated some States Members, who voiced their concerns.

Pictured: A decision on how the satellite skate facilities will be funded has not yet been made.

“I think what it shows is that this Government is in complete disarray,” said Deputy Montfort Tadier on the decision. “We’re talking about planning applications for a decision that the States Assembly hasn’t made… almost as if the decision is too difficult for us to make. 

“There’s been talk about putting in two planning applications and then seeing which one works – again, as if to abdicate responsibility on making the decision on the part of Government of the Assembly.”

Deputy Rob Ward echoed these frustrations, saying: “We’ve seen during the debate… the complete lack of a system of Governance that actually is able to make a decision, and it has completely wasted States Assembly time. 

“What we have instead is an overnight exchange of emails that could have been done way before this debate came up.” 

He concluded that the withdrawal should be “voted on and rejected, rather than doing this backdoor deal which totally lacks transparency.” 

Pictured: A number of concerns have been raised over whether the South Hill Gardens site would make it through the planning stages.

Addressing these misgivings, Senator Steve Pallett responded by apologising. 

“What Members have got every right to ask is why we couldn’t have [agreed] prior to the debate, and I apologise for that,” he said, “and I’m sure Senator Farnham would as well, for not working hard enough to provide a solution prior to this debate – maybe we could have worked harder towards that.”

But on the park itself, Senator Pallett remained firm that he would be scrapping his push for Les Quennevais as the key site, and moving forward with the solution negotiated with Senator Farnham.

“We’ll soon know if people are going to keep their promises,” he remarked, “because, as Senator Farnham has just said, I believe him… a planning application will be submitted by the end of this month for Les Quennevais. 

He continued: “I know work’s progressed throughout the year for Les Quennevais, my only concern was why it was derailed… so by the next sitting we should have a planning application in for Les Quennevais, which, if it isn’t in, I think we have the right to ask questions of why it hasn’t been.”