- Plans to turn Maison de Ville into a nursery and 28 apartments for the elderly refused recently
- Rejection has prompted St Helier to consider appealing against the decision
- The parish has spent £250,000 so far on advancing the scheme
REJECTED plans to build 28 apartments for the elderly and a 60-place nursery have cost St Helier £250,000 so far and are likely to be appealed, according to Constable Simon Crowcroft.
The parish’s scheme to transform Maison de Ville was turned down by the Planning Applications Committee this week following a series of objections by neighbours who opposed the project.
But Mr Crowcroft said that it was ‘highly likely’ that St Helier would appeal the decision because it had spent a huge sum of money on work, which was supported by both the Planning Department and Jersey Architecture Commission, but refused by politicians.
‘The plans were taken to more than two Parish Assemblies and got the full backing of St Helier,’ Mr Crowcroft said.
‘They were supported by the Planning Department and the design was also backed by the JAC.
‘To me, one of the biggest things was that the planning officer did us no favours by showing a 3D computer image of the buildings that did not also show the permitted development of JCG next door. So the committee did not see the building in context.’
Mr Crowcroft added that he was due to discuss the matter with parish officials after receiving official notice that the scheme had been turned down.
The proposals involved creating 28 ‘care apartments’ for elderly Islanders who wanted to live independently, but had the option to buy in care or domestic services from the parish – a model that has not yet been seen in Jersey.
The Constable explained that roughly a quarter of a million pounds had been spent on the project over a number of years, which had involved trips to the UK to look at similar developments, an expensive traffic survey and a planning application that cost nearly £45,000 alone.
Following the refusal he criticised the committee’s decision. Currently four of the six committee members were elected for the first time last year.
‘The Planning Committee is made up of new and inexperienced States Members,’ Mr Crowcroft added.
