Deputy Russell Labey was speaking as the Planning Department embarks on a review of its protection of the historic environment – a process that is being undertaken by consultants Arup ahead of the Island Plan review.
‘We are losing buildings which are a very important part of our social history. Palaces and castles are generally safe, but 28-30 Canon Street [part of the Randalls Brewery development] is a little row of townhouses and it’s important to retain buildings like these. Most jurisdictions are not knocking down their buildings from the 1840s,’ he said. Deputy Labey has written to Environment Minister John Young to express his concern following cases where historic buildings forming a small part of larger developments have been demolished in spite of their listed status. He questioned whether the emphasis was currently right when determining such applications.
‘Of course there’s an urgent need for housing, but a balance has got to be struck and the whole question of viability in our planning process and our planning law needs revision because it’s just not robust enough.
‘It seems to me that the developers’ financial forecasts are simply taken as gospel. The developer needs to be challenged continually so that we don’t lose the precious character of St Helier,’ Deputy Labey said, adding that greater weight should be given to the views of the department’s historic buildings officer in determining applications.
His comments come after the Société Jersiaise and the National Trust for Jersey published a register of buildings at risk, properties whose condition had deteriorated in spite of the formal recognition they have through the listing process.
One such building, Sans Souci in St Saviour’s Road, will now be restored for use by the charity Autism Jersey, but a number of properties in poor condition have been demolished in larger developments.
Deputy Labey said that it was important that Jersey learned ‘the salutary lesson’ of Colomberie House, a significant St Helier property from 1771 with connections to the celebrated architect Sir John Soane, which was demolished 22 years ago to make way for a new building that is itself now being replaced.
He said that he was convinced that both the current Le Masurier’s Bath Street development and the Randall’s project could viably have accommodated the listed buildings they contained.
‘Developers and the States have to recognise how important historic buildings are to Jersey’s identity and character,’ Deputy Labey said.
Meanwhile, Arup has begun its review of the protection regime for historic buildings for the Planning Department. During the first stage in the project questionnaires were sent to stakeholders, including developers, conservation bodies and some owners of historic buildings.
The scope of the review includes the process for identifying and designating listed buildings; the proposed introduction of conservation areas; the need for new legislation to protect archaeology and archaeological finds; and the adequacy of the planning framework to protect the historic environment and the weight afforded to it in the planning process.
The work will be conducted over the next two months.
