Deputy Steve Luce has criticised the move, launched in July by Deputy Russell Labey, and urged States Members to reject his proposition which calls for a patch of grassland between the flats and Green Street to be preserved when the site is redeveloped.
Deputy Labey is a member of the Planning Applications Committee, but has taken action over Andium Homes’ La Collette plans as the chairman of the Havre des Pas Improvement Group.
Earlier this summer the committee rejected Andium Homes’ proposal to replace the site’s 59 units, contained in five buildings, with 147 new properties in five bigger blocks.
However, Deputy Luce said that it was ‘disappointing’ that Deputy Labey had involved the whole States Assembly on a matter that was the responsibility of the committee on which he sits.
As a consequence, the Environment Minister said, there had been a delay in bringing a revised scheme back to the committee for a decision.
Comments presented to the House by Deputy Luce said: ‘Because of the late stage in the planning process, Deputy Labey’s proposition can now only serve to delay the provision of modern, affordable housing in this part of St Helier.
‘It will now have to be considered in September.
‘The residents of the existing La Collette flats will now have this additional delay before they can be adequately housed.’
Deputy Luce added that the correct forum for making representations about planning applications was at meetings of Planning Applications Committee.
