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BBC News
07-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Opinion divided on permission for 144 new Jersey homes
Two planning applications which will lead to the creation of 144 affordable homes on two former green zone sites have been approved, despite the concerns of a public meeting on Thursday, planning committee members agreed 128 new homes could be built on fields in St Peter's also approved an application for 16 properties on land off La Grande Route de St Jean, but proposals for sheltered housing next to a St Helier care home were approved plans for fields P558, P559 and P632 in St Peter, which were rezoned for affordable housing in the bridging island plan in 2022, include 13 four-bed and 95 three-bed homes. Permission was also granted for eight two-bedroom bungalows, four two-bedroom apartments and eight one-bedroom said 45% of the new homes would be made available for social rental, while 55% would be released for discounted application also includes a shared open space, bike parking, and changes to the road layout - including making part of La Verte Rue easier for people to walk on. The proposals have been under development for some time, and were the subject of a parish assembly vote last some residents who wrote letters of objection claimed consultation had been raised concerns about the increased pressure 128 new homes might place on local services."The schools are packed as they are," said Trent Weber, who lives nearby."Traffic is a nightmare even before we start doing these works so basically how are we going to get in, how are we going to get out, what's the plan?". Former planning minister John Young spearheaded the development of the bridging island plan before leaving politics in said the document - which dictates planning rules - sought to make provision for more than 4,000 new homes, needed at the time due to increases in the island's Mr Young, who was speaking as new figures highlighted the island's falling birth rate, said data showed circumstances had changed."Originally I wanted to see a smaller extension of the village area," he said, "and so I do query why we needed to do such a very large development at St Peter."He questioned the impact on the Beaumont junction."I would have personally, if I'd been in office, wanted to see those number of homes kept down to a smaller number," he said. In their planning application, developers Forge Developments and Godel Architects said the site's location would "support a reduction in the demand for travel by the private car, although it was "perhaps inevitable" traffic congestion would occur at peak said there had been "repeated public consultation" and they were "confident that the level of consultation" had satisfied planning policies and regulations."The result is a first-class scheme on a rezoned site - unanimously approved by all seven members of the planning committee," they added. 16 new homes at Sion - approved Forge Developments is also behind approved plans for 16 new, affordable homes on field T1404 in Trinity, which was also rezoned for housing in the 2022 island scheme includes three two-bedroom houses, 11 three-bedroom houses and two four-bedroom with the development in St Peter, 45% of the new homes will be made available for social rental, while 55% will be released for discounted initial application for homes on the site was rejected by the planning committee earlier this year. Some nearby residents raised concerns about access, traffic and impact on local services.A separate development of 37 new properties is currently being built on the other side of La Grande Route de St Jean, next to Sion Methodist Country Garden borders the site of the 16 new Alan Bonny said he was concerned the development would overshadow his business. "The main worry is that it's going to put a lot of shade over the tunnel where we grow. You can't grow without light," he continued: "You can't build a second St Helier up in Sion. We have to spread the load a little bit."Apart from that there will be noise from the tunnels. We have to keep fans on to keep the air moving. People won't like that, they'll complain." In comments to the planning committee, Forge Developments and Morris Architects said plans for a hedge, due to be planted on the site boundary, had been "reduced in height and form" since initial proposals were rejected in January said a technical assessment demonstrated "extremely small overshadowing impacts" and they also had a "noise mitigation strategy".They added the proposals had been developed in consultation with the government's transport team, and the level of traffic expected would be "entirely manageable".The application was approved on condition noise testing was conducted before residents moved in. 42 sheltered housing units - rejected While its members reached unanimous decisions on the other two proposals, Jersey's planning committee was split over plans for 42 units of sheltered housing on land next to St Joseph's Care Home in St applicants, Aedifica JE (St Josephs) Limited, sought permission for 38 one-bed properties and four two-bed homes. The application received 166 public comments. Many raised concerns residents of the existing care home might be adversely affected by construction of the new properties, a lack of parking spaces, and that trees would be removed."There's such a large variety of mature trees there," said environmental campaigner Sheena Brockie."It's on the outskirts of town and it would be alive with lots of different biodiversity, lots of wildlife using that space. "But it's also the community value for the people in the care home. "They're in a room, perhaps not as mobile as they used to be, and actually they're right in the midst of nature - so why take all that away and clear the land?" In planning documents, the applicants said: "Trees have been central to the design process from the start and have clearly had a substantial influence to the design and layout. "The submitted plans show the retention of the majority of trees, including the best trees on site as well as large areas of green space".They added: "Whilst it is fully understood that any construction work within a care home setting will be undesirable, with careful consideration the impacts can be understood and managed."Two members of the planning committee backed the application, but four refused it.
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Jersey 20mph zone to be extended as scared mum welcomes change
The 20mph speed limit in St Peter's village is going to be extended, with a Jersey mother welcoming the change - saying she was scared for her children's lives while crossing the Peter's Constable Richard Vibert said the end of the 20mph zone on La Grande Route de St Pierre would be moved to beyond the Marks and said the change had been agreed after a traffic review and would be introduced "in the next few months".Jenna Weber welcomed the change after her "really scary" experience but said authorities needed to do more to make the area safe. 'Unsafe situation' Ms Weber and her family live on La Grande Route de St Pierre near where the speed limit changes from 20mph to said she was crossing the road to get to M&S when a large vehicle came speeding around the corner before braking just metres away from her and her said: "Being in the middle of the road, already there wasn't much I could do, so I just frantically tried to make sure that everyone was safe and put myself in between the children and the vehicle."She said this was not an isolated incident and other residents had had similar experiences."It is a family village and people should feel like they can use the amenities and be able to walk through the village and not be scared," she said. Ms Weber said there had been times when she had driven less than 100m because she was too frightened to cross the road with her said the extension of the 20mph zone was "something" but added greater traffic calming measures should be considered, such as speed humps, zebra crossings and give way said people did not obey the current speed limit, which made it an "unsafe situation"."I don't want it to take for something to happen with a child walking to school or a villager walking to the shops for something to be considered and put in place," she said further traffic controls were particularly important because of plans to build nearly 130 more homes in the parish. In response to Ms Weber's concerns, the infrastructure department said it could not add a pedestrian crossing because the existing right turn for traffic into the retail and business area needed to be "retained in its current format".It said: "It caters for a significant number of right-turning vehicles throughout the day."Provision of any crossing would cause the right-hand turn lane to be too small for traffic."It also said it could not add more pavement to the road because it was too narrow. Vibert said he was just as concerned as residents by traffic issues in St Peter's said he had spoken with successive infrastructure ministers about traffic controls but had only recently had "a little bit of success".He said the extension of the 20mph zone should happen relatively quickly as the infrastructure minister had plans to implement it using a ministerial said traffic engineers were also looking at controls for the roads next to the proposed housing development and there were plans for pedestrian crossings nearby, however not near the M& said the infrastructure department needed to do some "more hard work" on creating safe areas for people to cross the main road. Kate Huntington, who runs the Better Journeys initiative in Jersey, which encourages people to leave their cars at home and find other ways to work or school, said that when she began cycling regularly, or walking along some island roads, she found it dangerous and scary."I had so many near misses," she added motorists needed to understand that vulnerable road users had a right to be there, and pedestrians and cyclists also needed to take up said dropping speed limits across the island could also make pedestrians and cyclists feel said: "We shouldn't have areas where it's not safe to leave your house unless you are in a car, that's not right, that's not the right way to live."Because they aren't going anywhere but they don't need to dominate our infrastructure."
