Following Andium Homes’ purchase of the Gasworks site last year, five options were proposed and businesses and residents asked to say which they preferred.
The board of the States-owned social housing developer has now decided that an option which received 79 per cent of support during the consultation would be put forward for planning approval. The proposals, if approved, would provide 60 per cent of the site for an extension to the Millennium Town Park of 5,480 sq metres, which, on completion, would run up the side of Tunnell Street all the way to St Saviour’s Road. The scheme would also provide 117 new homes on the north of the site, neighbouring the Grand Marché supermarket, as well as 106 residential parking spaces and a 172-space public car park.
Andium has instructed architects to submit an application for outline planning consent as soon as possible.
The company’s chairman, Frank Walker, said that he was ‘absolutely delighted’ with the option that had been chosen for the future Gasworks development.
‘This enables us to deliver on our vision for the site and what the States subsequently asked us to do following the debate earlier this year,’ he said.
‘This scheme is interdependent with our delivery of the Ann Court and Brewery sites, where we plan to deliver a mix of new homes and tenures, community and third-sector facilities, pedestrian links, public-realm and additional green spaces, all contributing to the regeneration of the north of town.
‘These plans are aligned with the Council of Ministers’ proposed Common Strategic Policy commitments and the Island Plan.’
Speculation over the future of the Ann Court development has grown recently, with rumours suggesting that Chief Minister John Le Fondré is considering building a new States HQ on the site, which would supersede Andium’s plans for a 165-unit social housing development.
At the time Andium bought the Gasworks site plans were in place for a 253-unit housing development, scaled down from earlier proposals for more than 300 homes, to be built there.
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, a long-time advocate of increasing the parish’s green space, said the new plans were a ‘great improvement’.
‘I welcome Andium Homes’ proposals to increase significantly the extent of the amenity space of our Millennium Town Park, as well as the provision of much needed public parking in the area,’ he said.
‘The reduction in the number of homes being provided on the site is also a great improvement on the original developer-led scheme for nearly 300 units, as it means the residents of the smaller number of new homes will enjoy much better facilities.’
