Plans go in for Chinese learning centre

Thursday 09 January 2020

Plans have been submitted to transform a yoga studio into a Chinese education centre offering courses in Mandarin from primary school level upwards.

‘ThinkChinese Ltd’ has put in the proposals to the Planning Department to base an education centre in St. James Street.

Documents submitted as part of the application detail the company’s intentions for the building, which they are applying to change the use of.

Pictured: The application has gone in to convert the former yoga studio in St. James Street. (Google Maps)

ThinkChinese was established in 2016 by Briony Sun and is now looking to move premises into St. James Street. It teaches Mandarin as well as offering translation, interpreting and travel arrangement services. It has also partnered with Jersey College for Girls in fostering their close links with China. 

It offers courses for primary school children, adults and also business-level Chinese.

Describing the proposal, the applicant says: “...The property has most recently been used as a yoga studio… It is proposed to be used as a classroom and office. No structural or other changes are required and the property is already fit for purpose.”

Elaborating on the classes that will operate from the centre, she states: “[The] number of students in a class at any one time will be a maximum of 10. Ordinarily cases are smaller than that (up to six students), while often classes are private one-to-one tuition sessions.

“Classes take place from Monday to Saturday at various times of day. The earliest class is 09:00 and latest about 20:00. As these are private classes the times are subject to change and are flexible, but only within the time periods noted above.

“The classes are language classes. There should be no concerns as to the noise impact created by such classes.”

The planning application is still pending.