THE taxpayer-owned development firm which wants to build almost 1,000 flats at the Waterfront is holding drop-in sessions at the Town Hall next week so that Islanders can find out more about the plans.
The Jersey Development Company has applied for outline permission to extensively develop a large area of reclaimed land, including the Aquasplash, Fitness First, Cineworld, the former The Bar, the large car park south of Route de la Libération and Jardins de la Mer.
Drop-in sessions, where the plans will be on display and Islanders will be able to put questions to JDC representatives, are due to take place on Monday and Tuesday.
The company said: ‘Public consultations have been consistently clear that Islanders want a Waterfront that is landscape-led, delivers new homes, is mixed-use and creates a vibrant destination for people to live, work, visit and enjoy.
‘The spatial strategy for the Island that was approved in the Bridging Island Plan is to concentrate development in and around existing urban centres. These Waterfront sites provide the opportunity for delivering a significant number of new homes and thereby reducing pressure to rezone green fields.’
The JDC has committed to ensuring that St Helier is not left without a cinema or public swimming pool either before, during or after the area is redeveloped and said that future detailed planning applications would determine timings to replace existing facilities with minimum disruption.
The company has also agreed to retain La Frégate café following the distinctive building’s listing; however, it hopes to move it 200m to the west.
The outline application will be reviewed by an independent planning inspector in May. Philip Staddon will examine all submitted evidence and make a recommendation to Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf about whether he should pass it or not.
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft has also called for the scheme to be paused until a development ‘masterplan’ for the entire town had been devised and approved.
Monday’s drop-in sessions will be from midday until 3pm and then 4pm until 6pm. Tuesday’s will be held between 10am and 3pm.
