DESIGN standards for St Helier have been set under a new document approved this week that seeks to more tightly control the look of Jersey’s town centre.
The Planning and Development Guide, which sets out expectations for any project affecting by-roads, footpaths, public spaces, or infrastructure, was approved yesterday at a meeting of the Parish of St Helier Roads Committee.
The guide will be published on the Parish website and used to inform recommendations made by the Committee on planning applications, while also ensuring that architects and developers understand what the Parish expects.
A key aspect of the guidance set out in the 58-page document is a more formal approach to asking developers for financial contributions to help fund things like wider pavements, trees, benches, or other street-level improvements.
The guidance reads: “The Roads Committee is planning to undertake improvements in the vicinity to improve the public realm, which will also benefit this development. Therefore, the Roads Committee will be seeking a financial contribution from the Applicant to go towards the improvements to the surrounding area.”
The document also sets out what’s expected of developers when it comes to design and infrastructure. For example, every bedroom in a development must have a covered cycle parking space, with room for larger cargo bikes and facilities for charging electric bikes.
For large residential projects, developers are expected to include a children’s playground on site. If that’s not possible due to space limitations, the Parish will seek a financial contribution to improve a nearby public play area.
For tall buildings, developers must show how they will clean the exterior of the building without needing equipment that blocks nearby roads.
A spokesperson from the Infrastructure Department said: “The guidance formalises the existing advice that we already provide into one document, which will help encourage developers to think about improving the public realm in a consistent manner.”
