Constable's bid to save Haute Vallée field from development

Monday 12 July 2021

A plan to build up to 54 homes on half a field near Haute Vallée school could be dropped if politicians back an attempt to amend the next Island Plan.

St. Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft is asking the States Assembly to remove ‘Field H1219’, which is immediately south of the school car park, from the draft bridging Island Plan’s list of sites it has earmarked for affordable homes.

It is one of a number of amendments that have been formally presented before today’s deadline. It is also the final opportunity for the public to officially comment on the draft plan.

In his amendment, Constable Crowcroft says: “The St. Helier Roads Committee was very concerned that the development of the eastern half of H1219 would bring housing development in this part of town right up to the school perimeter, depriving the school of all the benefits associated with natural green space.

“In the Committee’s view, if this field were to come out of agricultural use it would be far better to allocate it for community amenity space and woodland which can be enjoyed by school students as well as the community at large.

“Indeed, while the Committee was on site, it was passed by several people out for a walk enjoying the opportunity provided by these open spaces to get exercise and keep healthy.”

Pictured: The draft Island Plan supports development on the eastern half of Field H1219 in St. Helier. Haute Vallée School is just to the north.

The Constable has also thrown his weight behind an amendment by Deputy Mary Le Hegarat to remove three fields further up Grande Route de Mont à l’Abbé from the Island Plan.

He said: “The Committee accepts that more housing is required in the Island, but believes that St. Helier is already fulfilling more than its fair share of meeting the Island’s housing needs, with hundreds of new units being created by Andium Homes within the next few years, hundreds more being proposed by the Jersey Development Company and other developers, and with all the private redevelopments of outworn offices which are taking place throughout the town.

“I fully endorse the views of the St. Helier Roads Committee and urge the States Assembly to save Field H1219 from development.”

Other last-minute amendments to the bridging Island Plan were lodged over the weekend.

Deputy Steve Luce wants the Assembly to ringfence Field MN410 off Rue des Buttes in St. Martin – which the plan proposes for up to 34 affordable homes – for islanders aged over 55.

The St. Martin Deputy also wants another field, just south of the parish’s existing sheltered homes for the over 55s, Le Court Clos, to be rezoned so that more retirement homes can be built.

Pictured: The parish of St Martin wants to extend its sheltered homes development into Field MN489, which is marked with a red flag.

St. Ouen Constable Richard Buchanan, meanwhile, wants ‘Field 630’, which is immediately to the west of the car park for Morrisons, to no longer be designated “protected open space” to allow the parish to build five one-bedroom homes for older residents.

Other amendments include designating the Gas Site in Tunnell Street for a new town primary school, proposed by Deputy Rob Ward, and allowing historic windows to be replaced with double-glazed copies, lodged by Deputy Rowland Huelin.

All submissions and comments on the draft bridging Island Plan, which will become the development blueprint until the end of 2025 when it is approved by the Assembly next spring, will now be reviewed by a team of Independent planning inspectors.