In August last year, the Jersey Development Company announced plans for a 12-year project to transform the Waterfront area, and that it had partnered with landscape architects Gillespies to help deliver the proposals.
A consultation for the project – which could include outdoor swimming pools and a national art gallery – was also launched, with Islanders able to comment on the proposals online at sthelierwaterfront.je.
The consultation has now entered its second phase and Islanders are being encouraged to attend a series of live and virtual feedback sessions that start on Friday.
JDC managing director Lee Henry said: ‘The redevelopment of south-west St Helier provides an unmissable opportunity to substantially improve the area and we’re very keen for Islanders to have their say.’
He added that the consultation website had garnered 10,000 page views and that nearly 250 questionnaires had been completed since it was launched.
‘We’ve already had many Islanders contact us from our first round of consultations,’ he said. ‘We’d really like as many people as possible to attend an online or in-person Q&A session so we can present the work that has been undertaken, find out what Islanders think and answer any questions.’
It was hoped that an outline planning application for the project would be ready by May, but Mr Henry said that after the initial consultation it was decided to push this date back until August so that additional studies could be accommodated.
‘Following a thorough review of the feedback received we will consult again during July, prior to preparing a planning application,’ he said.
In February, a proposition lodged by the former Housing Minister, Senator Sam Mézec, resulted in a States decision to ban foreign buy-to-let investors from buying residential properties within the planned development. It also stipulated that the JDC should ‘maximise’ the percentage of affordable housing created as part of the project.
Mr Henry said that discussions with the Treasury Department were still ongoing about how much of the site – which could include more than 1,000 units – would be allocated as affordable housing.
‘We are fully committed to the public engagement and stakeholder engagement process,’ he said.
Islanders can register their interest in the upcoming sessions by emailing info@sthelierwaterfront.je.
There will also be an exhibition of the updated consultation on public display at the St Helier Town Hall from 13 May to 18 May.
