Kevin Welford, of La Marquanderie Holdings Ltd, has applied to make the changes following the closure of The Treehouse in March.
Within the application, the company – which owns the green-zone site – says the rest of the property is unaffected by the plans.
‘The application seeks to apply for the change of use of 800sq m of the car park into 800sq m of retail space for the purpose of providing an area for local business to retail cars and provide a car valeting service,’ it says.
‘Whilst the majority of the site would remain unchanged there would be the installation of a temporary mobile structure, such as a Portakabin, to provide a site office solely for the use of the dealership.’
Several people have objected to the plans including Moz Scott, chairman of the St Brelade’s Bay Association, which acts to protect the area from over-development. She said that a car dealership would be an inappropriate addition to the bay – a ‘scenic tourist spot’.
She said: ‘Ironically, the site is in the only area in the bay that government has proposed to be redesignated as Coastal National Park in the next Island Plan, illustrating everything that is wrong about [the] government’s vision for the bay.’
Ms Scott added that as the car park was not adjacent to the seafront, her association was likely to be more open to the idea of the site being used for housing.
Another person who objected to the plans, Aaron Chatterley, said: ‘This is a pretty green backdrop hill that will be visually blighted by a car dealership.
‘The position of the access is difficult enough with cars entering the car park but they are currently able to exit at the top, which reduces the likelihood of accidents. This will make a pretty country hill an abomination.’
Ed and Kate Sallis raised concerns that the application could be approved before the area potentially becomes part of the Coastal National Park – where there is a presumption against any form of development.
‘This application is a test case for planners, politicians and the public at large. Are we as a community serious about preserving what is best in our Island?
‘We urge you to reject the application.’
