Andium Homes has bought the 9,100 square metre site, for an undisclosed sum, and plans instead to build 110 homes, extend the park by as much as 50 per cent and build a 200-space underground car park, which may be available to the general public as well as tenants.
The company, which took over the Island’s social housing portfolio in 2014, plans to have the existing planning permission for a 253-unit development in the area, which was granted this year to developers Brookfield Tunnell Street Holdings Ltd, replaced.
The granting of permission for the scheme provoked protests from local residents and St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, who feared the area was in danger of over-development.
Housing Minister Anne Pryke – who said that the delivery of good-quality homes and ‘enhanced amenity space’ in the area was ‘an absolute priority’ – plans to lodge a proposition ‘very shortly’ for the States to debate Andium’s plans.
Andium has plans to develop 600 homes at other sites in the area, including the Robin Hood site, Convent Court low-rise, Ann Court, Ann Street Brewery and the Ann Street Boiler House.
Dominique Caunce, the company’s policy and communications head, said Andium believed that a 250-unit development at the Gas Works was not appropriate.
‘We didn’t think that you could build a sustainable community with that amount of units,’ she said.
‘We already have 600 homes planned in that part of St Helier and we recognised that you can’t just keep building. We saw this as the perfect opportunity to build with appropriate amenity space.
‘But we are going to have to go back to basics with the planning permissions and go through a lengthy consultation with residents and the Constable of St Helier, and ultimately obtain approval from Housing, Planning, Infrastructure and the Treasury Minister.’
Mr Crowcroft, who has campaigned for the extension of the Millennium Town Park onto the site, welcomed the move. He said: ‘We are in a much better place than we were before. Andium are looking to build significantly less units and to extend the Millennium Town Park, which is a pretty good deal.
‘They are also planning for extra parking, which is something people campaigning for the park first time round wanted. Residents and businesses have not had anywhere to park in the area.
‘I also feel I could get what parishioners want more easily with Andium than I could with a private developer.’
Andium chief executive Ian Gallichan said: ‘This acquisition, coupled with our other recent purchases in the area, provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to breathe new life into the north of town. We look forward to working with the Housing Minister to make it happen.’
