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The wider economic benefits and "enormous public support" behind the current £70million plans to redevelop Bath Street outweigh any argument for retaining a single, derelict building, the developer has said.
The comments from Le Masurier's Managing Director Brian McCarthy came after Save Jersey's Heritage published an alternative strategy for building a Premier Inn as part of a larger £70million development.
The heritage group wants to protect a listed Regency townhouse which falls within the two-acre site.
Mr McCarthy said his form has carried out a comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessment Report which analysed all possibilities for developing the area in a commercialy viable way.
"Le Masurier is sympathetic to any listed structure and we have offered to carefully remove and salvage these listed features [from 90 and 92 Bath Street], where possible, so they can be re-appropriated by heritage groups," said Mr McCarthy.
Pictured: The protection of this listed Regency building at 92 Bath Street is at the heart of Save Jersey's Heritage's objection Le Masurier's plans.
"It is also important to understand the commercial and economic reality of funding and delivering a major regeneration project of this nature. Le Masurier has undertaken viability testing of a number of alternative development options for the site, including the retention of existing buildings.
"The submitted planning application is, therefore, the outcome of a robust design and development analysis to ensure that our regeneration proposals are appropriate, viable and deliverable.
"The Bath Street Redevelopment has gained enormous public support, as demonstrated by our public consultation, with islanders excited to see this tired part of St Helier completely regenerated.
"Since the public consultation, social media has also been extremely active and very positive on the benefits that our proposed development will deliver with 98% of those comments being fully supportive.
Pictured: Le Masurier said its regeneration project will improve a currently dilapidated area of land in the north of town.
"We hope that the greater economic benefits that the redevelopment would bring to St Helier, and Jersey as a whole, will outweigh any basis for retaining a single, derelict and much commercialised building."
Their aspiration is to create a new community in town through regeneration, transforming the island’s capital and acting as a "catalyst" for further future regeneration.
"St Helier’s second Premier Inn is expected to accommodate 40,000 overnight stays in Jersey, with the potential to attract annual visitor spend of £1.6 million and, in turn, support over 30 jobs in the tourism sector," said Mr McCarthy. "The wider redevelopment is also expected to create over 70 full time jobs in the construction industry.
Pictured: A sketch of what Save Jersey's Heritage's "alternative strategy" could look like, with the Premier Inn at the centre of the site.
"The Bath Street Redevelopment will generate a hotel and homes for St Helier. It will boost tourism, provide much needed housing, new leisure and retail outlets and the substantial regeneration of two acres of the north of St Helier equating to £70m of private sector investment by Le Masurier, at no cost to the taxpayer."
Le Masurier's planning application is due to be discussed at a planning meeting later this month.
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