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Plans to turn the former Maison de Ville care home into 28 two-bedroom apartments for the over 55s have been approved by the Planning Committee, following several amendments to improve pedestrian safety.
Residents in the area raised a number of concerns about road safety, especially for children walking to Janvrin School, which Dandara, the developer of the site, attempted to address by funding various safety improvements.
As part of the £1,9million purchase agreement, Dandara paid £50,000 to the Parish of St. Helier to fund the development of Patrick Freeley Lane, located at the south of the former home. They also agreed to give back a small section of the site to the Parish to allow for a pavement to be created along the lane and to install bollards and upgrade other paths to provide safe passage to the school.
As part of their amended application, Dandara also reduced the height of the proposed new building to two-and-a-half floors on the southern side, to prevent overlooking on neighbouring properties.
The planning officer recommended the application for approval saying that Dandara had delivered improvements and made the "generous and welcome" offer to give back a section of the site.
Pictured: Residents are particularly concerned about 'Freeley Lane' which will be created as part of the development.
While 12 public comments were submitted to the department, only three people, including Deputy Jackie Hilton, spoke against the application during the Planning meeting. Mrs Anne Pasturel, who lives opposite the building and opposed the sale of the site to Dandara, said the application was previously rejected because the size was too big and there were no traffic plan.
She said: "It is still too big and we still don’t have traffic plan." She explained she was so concerned about road safety in the area that she launched a petition signed by 800 people and concluded her address saying that "far from regenerating the area, it (the development) is a destruction and it will be detrimental on the lives of those who live there."
Deputy Hilton said that Patrick Freeley lane was a huge bone of contention for residents, saying that many were not happy about it being opened to traffic. She said: "It would become a mini-roundabout and make life difficult for residents."
Pictured: Maison de Ville will be destroyed to make way for 28 two-bedroom apartments for over 55s.
St. Mary's Constable, Juliette Gallichan said that something needed to happen with the "derelict building" but that the application was a huge consideration for the committee. While she said that what happens with Patrick Freeley lane depends on the Parish only, she asked for charging points for electric scooters to be added as a condition to the development.
Deputy Russell Labey assured neighbours the Committee had taken their concerns seriously and that there had been progress since the previous application. He said: "Something has got to go on this site, it will be developed. Something bigger, or ugly, might get planning approval. But I think here the drawings are good and the neighbours are in safe hands."
The application was unanimously approved by the committee.
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