The St Helier Constable has criticised current planning policy for “effectively discriminating” against town residents as he called for new developments to include a minimum of one parking space per home.
Constable Simon Crowcroft this week lodged a proposition urging Environment Minister Steve Luce to revise supplementary planning guidance so new housing developments would include a minimum of one parking space per unit of accommodation “where practicable”.
He is also calling for the creation of new off-street car parks that would be “prioritised” for drivers with reduced mobility, shoppers and visitors, as long as this was in line with the Bridging Island Plan, an Island-wide planning document.
In his report, the long-standing States Member – who was first elected as a town Deputy in 1996 before serving as Constable from 2001 – said despite several amendments he has brought through his career, the Planning Department had continually countered his efforts by introducing policies to reduce parking provision which he said effectively discriminated against those who live in St Helier.
As a statutory consultee on planning applications, the Parish of St Helier’s highway authority and roads committee had both “consistently requested” that the Planning Department ensure there was adequate parking provision in new developments, said Constable Crowcroft.
But he claimed that they had not been listened to.
“Over the past two decades, the planners have encouraged developers to provide less than a parking space per unit (which might be of two or three beds), with the current policy suggesting that town centre developments need provide no parking at all,” Constable Crowcroft said.
He added that current policies also “underestimate the importance of car parking to support the economy of town, especially the retail, service, entertainment and hospitality sectors”.
In his report, Constable Crowcroft also drew attention to the Bridging Island Plan, a planning document which restricts the development of new private car parks, which he said would be of “enormous benefit” in locations such as Havre des Pas.
The proposition will be debated on 9 July at the earliest.