AN “excessive” amount has been spent by the Jersey Development Company in an attempt to bring its plans for 130 apartments at South Hill – which have been rejected twice – to fruition, according to a St Helier Deputy.
Reform Jersey politician Deputy Tom Coles spoke out after the costs associated with the States-owned entity’s proposed scheme to knock down the long-empty former Planning Department offices which overlook the Harbour and build 139 units were revealed.
In response to a written States question from Deputy Coles, Treasury Minister Ian Gorst – who acts on behalf of the public as the JDC’s shareholder – released figures that showed that overall costs for the project up until the end of September stood at £3.28m.
Of this, £1.88m was spent on “professional costs” associated with the first rejected planning application, while a further £482,000 was spent on the second version. A total of £228,000 was spent on planning application fees.
Costs for the planning appeal stood at £37,000.
Acquiring the land needed for the development, including stamp duty, cost £229,000, while site and ground investigations were £416,000. The JDC’s South Hill proposals were rejected by the Planning Committee in May last year, and again in March 2023.
In October, the taxpayer-owned organisation appealed against the second refusal to an independent inspector, who will recommend to Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf if the scheme – which has been reduced in size and height compared to the first set of plans – should be approved or not.
That day-long appeal hearing was held before planning inspector David Hainsworth, whose report is yet to be published.
Deputy Coles, who is also a member of the Public Accounts Committee, said that the cost so far represented “an excessive amount of money” given that the scheme had been rejected twice. We should be expecting the JDC to produce schemes that are correct.”
The JEP has approached the JDC for comment.
