On Wednesday, Chris Taylor will be asking parishioners to support plans to build 16 three-bedroom first-time buyers on Field 525 in Rue de la Mare Ballam, to the south of the school. The proposals also include creating a sports field for the primary.
Mr Taylor said: ‘The plans for the development have been spoken about for well over 25 years and the provision of a playing field for the school has always been important. It became more important when the school was expanded 15 years ago but nothing happened. Despite being a country school, St John has far less open space for the children to play in than most primary schools in the Island.’
If parishioners back the scheme, the parish will work with developer GR Langlois to submit a planning application.
Mr Taylor says as part of the consultation process, which has seen plans on display at the parish hall since last month, he wrote to every parishioner to gauge demand for affordable housing.
He said: ‘We had 170 replies saying they were interested in the starter homes, so clearly there’s a big demand. St John has not built any first-time buyer homes since 1997, which is a full generation ago. To keep the demographic and the viability of the parish, it is important that we provide homes for the next generation.’
Mr Taylor is also asking for support for a public garden and 60-space car park on part of another agricultural field opposite St John’s Church. This second scheme involves moving the war memorial into the garden so Rue des Buttes, the lane leading to the school, can be widened and pavements created to improve road safety.
Mr Taylor said: ‘We have talked about developing a car park there for more than 20 years and it is important for the vibrancy of the parish. We have to have a car park for three reasons: first, it will provide a safe place for the schoolchildren to be dropped off and collected; secondly, it will provide parking for the church and the parish hall; and thirdly, it will provide parking for the shops in the village.’
Although the memorial is a listed structure, he hopes to overcome any resistance from Planning’s Historic Buildings Section to its relocation. ‘I have been in touch with the War Memorial Trust in the UK and the advice I have been given is that as long as the parish is content to move it then they are quite happy that it is moved.’
The assembly is being held at St John’s Parish Hall from 7 pm on Wednesday.
