'Appropriate' Town High-Rises Allowed

Buildings of more than eight storeys in St Helier will only be built in 'appropriate', rather than 'exceptional' circumstances.

That has been approved as part of the Bridging Island Plan.

Senator Ian Gorst said the change of wording gives a greater chance of over eight-storey buildings being approved, where clear benefits can be proven.

"The only place that is really appropriate for higher buildings, to my mind, is within the basin of St Helier whereby the escarpment acts as an appropriate backdrop.

If we went back in time, I think we would all agree that some of the taller buildings outside of that particular backdrop are not appropriate, but we now have to live with them because they were approved under the previous wording of previous Island Plans.

Building appropriateness is all about design. That's aesthetic design, it's design within settings, but also the design of amenity space and amenity facilities and let's be clear: taller buildings do not mean single-bed flats with open-plan, they do not mean bedsits.

It could be argued that appropriately designed buildings can facilitate better amenity space, better internal living space whereby the buildings can have a longer lifespan.

I take the view, and I think that this is reiterated by planners, that 'exceptional' basically means to any individual coming to put a planning application 'don't bother putting hundreds of thousands of pounds to put in a building that might be better in design, might have better amenity space, but because it's tall, we are going to say no. Now you've got to prove to us why your proposal is 'exceptional'.

Bearing in mind there is a housing crisis, is it right that the default position by using the word 'exceptional' of the planning department should be 'no'? Or should we allow a little bit more flexibility by using the word 'appropriate'?

That tilts the consideration by planners and by the planning department and the planning committee away from an automatic 'no', to a 'we will consider it if you've really got all of these other issues covered off'."

Deputy Kirsten Morel raised concerns about what these taller buildings would actually be used for, given there was nothing in the proposal to specify it would be for housing or potentially something else like office blocks.

Deputy Rob Ward spoke about where the children who live in these buildings are going to play, get their healthcare, and go to school.

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat says she's worried about agreeing to plans without speaking to the emergency services, while Environment Minister Deputy John Young says the use of the word 'appropriate' in planning terms 'is very high-risk'.

An angry Senator Sam Mezec, a former Housing Minister, says Senator Gorst's claim that his proposition can help with the housing crisis 'is a welcome change in his position from that which his voting record portrays'.

The Reform Jersey leader says it opens the door to turning St Helier into Hong Kong.

"His amendment does nothing to say that homes built will match the profile of need and let's be frank, we know what this will be.

This will be about luxury investment apartments."

In concluding his speech, Senator Gorst said it comes down to 'pulling a very small, incremental lever around dealing with the challenges we face as a community.'

His amendment was approved by 24 votes to 20.

A proposal to only allow buildings of more than five storeys in town 'in exceptional circumstances' and where the benefit to the community 'will demonstrably outweigh any adverse impacts' was rejected by 30 votes to 13.