A controversial skatepark at South Hill has been given the final go-ahead despite fierce opposition from nearby residents over noise, anti-social behaviour and traffic.
Planning Minister Sir Mark Boleat has dismissed a third-party appeal against the scheme and upheld permission for the government-backed development at the South Hill reversing bays.
The decision follows a lengthy battle over the plans, which attracted 33 objections alongside 60 representations of support before being approved by the former Planning Committee in March.
Revised plans subsequently attracted a further two objections and two representations of support.
Independent planning inspector Fortune Gumbo was appointed after nearby landowner Jeremy Gosselin challenged the approval, arguing that consultation had been inadequate and raising concerns over heritage, road safety, parking, landscaping, ecology, noise and anti-social behaviour.
However, following a site visit and hearing, Mr Gumbo rejected every substantive ground of appeal.
“I do not find in the appellant’s favour on any substantive and peripheral grounds of appeal,” he concluded, recommending that permission be upheld.
Senator Boleat has now accepted that recommendation and dismissed the appeal.
The inspector did, however, identify a gap in the original planning conditions after noting that a “high number” of consultation responses had raised traffic and safety concerns, while residents had also highlighted the potential impact of anti-social behaviour.
Mr Gumbo found that the conditions originally imposed did not “adequately” address operational and management concerns and ordered an additional safeguard requiring a management plan covering toilets, noise, security and CCTV before the site can open.
Planning officers had previously concluded that noise modelling showed the park would not negatively affect neighbouring homes, while evidence from Les Quennevais was cited to argue that skateparks could operate with “minimal crime”.
The temporary skatepark will replace the decommissioned New North Quay facility and will eventually be converted into a cycle park once the redevelopment of Fort Regent is complete. Its moveable skating equipment could then be transferred to Fort Regent or elsewhere in Jersey.
The development includes an accessible toilet, cycle parking, CCTV, lighting, landscaping and a three-metre acoustic fence, while one of the existing four reversing bays at South Hill will be lost.
The inspector acknowledged a “possible but low adverse impact” on the setting of the listed South Hill Gym and German Squat Toilets, but concluded that measures including landscaping and screening were sufficient to mitigate the harm.
Floodlighting will be restricted to between 7am and 9pm under the final conditions.
