States to act on holiday village plans?

States to act on holiday village plans?

Environment Minister John Young refused the planning application to build 27 self-catering units at the St Lawrence site last month – despite an independent planning inspector recommending it be given the go-ahead.

And now Deputy Scott Wickenden has lodged a proposition calling on Members to intervene and overturn the ministerial decision, with the matter then being referred to the Planning Committee.

He argues that part of the minister’s reasoning for rejecting the scheme – that it could set a precedent for future developments – ‘is not, and should not be, a valid planning consideration’.

In turning down the application, Deputy Young ruled that it was an inappropriate development in a designated green zone and that it ‘would also set a precedent for the redevelopment of other glasshouse sites and an expectation that these can be replaced with major new development in the countryside’.

The minister has since faced criticism for not listening to the advice of the planning inspector, while Tamba Park owner Jonathan Ruff has said he is considering taking legal action against the decision.

In his proposition, Deputy Wickenden says: ‘As the minister is able to set planning policy, the simple fact that the ministerial decision lays out “precedent” in the decision for rejection, the minister has inadvertently included “precedent” as a future planning consideration.

‘If we were to allow “precedent” to be a planning consideration, we would find ourselves in a situation whereby any applicant for a future planning application could look through the last 50 years of planning decisions made in Jersey and find multiple examples of similar requests that had previously been approved, and any member of the public contesting an application could find multiple examples where similar applications had been rejected.

‘It would make it very hard to review and consider any planning application on its own merits, and the application process would end up being something similar to a court case.’

If States Members back the proposition it would effectively reopen the application, with the decision being referred to the Planning Committee. That panel is made up of politicians, including Deputy Wickenden, and has delegated responsibility from the minister to decide on planning applications.

The proposition is due to be debated on Tuesday 25 September.

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