IT sparked fierce debate, waves of amendments and no shortage of controversy.
Billed as a fast-track planning blueprint to ease Jersey’s housing crisis and support the economy, the Bridging Island Plan was approved by States Members in March 2022, and saw several green fields across the Island rezoned for housing.
Ordinarily, an Island Plan spans a decade – but, with Covid and Brexit pulling resources and disrupting timelines, the then-Environment Minister opted for a shorter-term approach covering 2022 to 2025.
Now, as that window draws to a close, how many homes have actually made it into the pipeline, and which remain untouched?
Here’s where things stand:
Field J1109, La Grande Route de St Jean, St John
This particular field made headlines after it was sold for £3.55 million, following its designation as an affordable-homes site.
The sale represented an approximate 50-fold increase in value, as prior to the rezoning the 6.71-vergée site – located next to the former Sion Chapel – was estimated to be worth around £70,000.
Development is underway to bring forward plans for 37 affordable homes, comprising a mix of two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom properties, which were approved last year.
Over half (20) of the residential units are to be sold to first time buyers, while 17 will be used for social rented accommodation.
Fields P655 and P656, La Route de Beaumont, St Peter
Development has also commenced on two fields situated next to St Peter’s Village, which have been subject to approved plans for 42 affordable homes since October.
The mix of three-bedroom and four-bedroom properties will include 23 homes for first time buyers and 19 to be used for social rented accommodation.
Fields S415A and S470, La Grande Route de St Martin, St Saviour
Plans for 38 affordable homes on these fields in St Saviour were approved last month, but development is yet to begin – with a building application submitted and pending at the time of writing.
It will eventually see a blend of two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom properties constructed opposite the Coop’s Five Oaks store.
This includes 17 units earmarked for social rented accommodation and 21 to be sold to first time buyers.
Pending planning applications
A number of sites are also the subject of pending planning applications, including a proposal for 16 residential units on field T1404 in Trinity.
If approved, the resubmitted plans could see a combination of two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom properties – including seven units for social rental and nine for discounted purchase – built next to La Grande Route de St Jean.
Meanwhile, a larger proposal for 128 residential units (58 for social rental and 70 for affordable housing) on fields P558, P559 and P632 along La Route du Manoir in St Peter is due to be determined by the Planning Committee soon.
Questions and confusion surrounding the need for road alterations to help facilitate the development resulted in a lively Parish Assembly meeting last year, after the scheme gained the backing of the parish’s Roads Committee.
A decision could also be made soon on plans for 37 homes (17 for social rental and 20 for affordable housing) on fields 0594 and 0595 next to Le Clos de la Fosse au Bois in St Ouen.
And a project for 32 properties to be built on field MN410 next to La Rue des Buttes in St Martin has been assessed by the government’s planning team, but no application has been put forward as of the time of writing.
What hasn’t progressed?
Not all sites earmarked for development through the Bridging Island Plan have progressed to the planning stage, however.
Responding to recent questions from St Saviour representative Deputy Raluca Kovacs, Environment Minister Steve Luce noted that several locations had not been subjected to pre-application or planning application procedures.
These are:
• Field 0785, La Rue des Cosnets, St Ouen
• Field J229, La Route du Nord, St John
• Field J236, La Rue du Cimetiere, St John
• Field MY563, La Rue de la Rosiere, St Mary
“Developers and landowners are in control of when development comes forward on the housing sites, and I have not been informed of any specific reasons why development has not come forward on any of the sites,” Deputy Luce said.
The next Island Plan
While a new plan for 2026 to 2030 was originally envisaged, it recently emerged that the government had instead decided to extend the BIP window beyond its 2025 cut-off, and that it may be another three years before a new one is in place.
While Deputy Luce said that work to prepare for the next Island Plan was “already underway” with various “technical” pieces of work complete, he confirmed that finalising proposals would be “a key responsibility for the next government” in place after the June 2026 election.
“Ideally, the process should begin early in the next political term, with a view to bringing a new plan to the States Assembly for debate and approval in 2027 or 2028,” he said.
And the Island Plan debates of that Assembly are likely to be very different, with the Minister noting that many of the pressures which underpinned decision-making for the BIP have now “eased”.
“…We now have sufficient affordable housing sites identified to meet anticipated demand over the coming years. This provides a degree of stability and space for more strategic planning,” Deputy Luce said.
He added: “The next step must be to lay the foundations for a robust, future-facing plan that meets Jersey’s needs for the decade ahead.”
