HAVRE des Pas residents and a local Deputy have voiced their concerns that plans to put 32 apartments on St Clement’s Road “just aren’t right for the area”.
St Helier South Deputy Tom Coles recently attended an “informal meeting” involving over 30 members of the Havre des Pas Improvement Group.
Lucas House Holdings wants to develop apartments on the current site of Lucas House.
An application, submitted in July by the company, seeks to demolish the six existing properties on the site, which are owned by the applicant, and replace them with a much larger residential site. The new development would include 18 one-bedroom flats, 11 two-bedroom and three three-bedroom flats, plus a commercial unit.
At the meeting, residents shared their concerns over the proposed development with Deputy Coles. Traffic, extra noise and the size of the project were all raised as issues, as well as intrusion of privacy for existing properties in Cleveland Avenue and Rodney Avenue.
The St Helier Roads Committee has already objected to the plans, citing “woefully inadequate” parking provision of 13 spaces for 32 apartments.
In a statement, Deputy Coles said he “agreed with the concerns of the residents”. He said: “I attended a meeting with a group of Havre des Pas residents in Rodney Avenue to hear their concerns. These ranged from the height of the building, the number of apartments, the lack of parking onsite and in the general area, to the increase of traffic on Cleveland Avenue and Rodney Avenue.
“I have reviewed the application and plans, I can see that the architect has tried mitigating overlooking and has designed apartments of a good internal size. However, I agree with the concerns of the residents, that this development just isn’t right for the area.”
Deputy Coles also argued that the proposed development “just doesn’t meet” some “key policies” in the Bridging Island Plan.
“Havre des Pas is a very historical and characteristic area of St Helier and needs to be protected. The development, by its scale, will become dominant from Nelson Avenue and beyond. Its square form will be out of context with the modest homes in the area and in stark contrast to the historic details on buildings such as the Ommaroo and Normandie hotels.”
Resident Ashley O’Connell said they were “extremely grateful” to Deputy Coles for meeting them.
She added: “If built [the development] will result in a significant loss of privacy to residents, noise disturbances and high traffic and footfall in a usually quiet area. The balconies and communal rooftop garden will tower above neighbours’ gardens.
“The lack of parking is also of concern, especially when you consider the impact this will have on residents to the area but also visitors to Havre des Pas including local businesses.
“This also has potential to create a precedent for more high-rise flats in this vicinity.”
Waddington Architects – the assigned agents for the development on the planning application – have been approached for comment.
