Les Ormes Golf & Leisure Village, Le Mont a la Brune, St. Brelade: Determination of Planning Application (PP/2010/1268)

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A decision made 18 January 2011:

Decision Reference: MD-PE-2010-0139

Application Number: PP/2010/1268

(If applicable)

Decision Summary Title:

Les Ormes Golf & Leisure Village, Le Mont a la Brune, ,

St. Brelade, JE3 8FL

Date of Decision Summary:

13 December 2010

Decision Summary Author:

A Townsend

Principal Planner

Decision Summary:

Public or Exempt?

Public

Type of Report:

Oral or Written?

Written

Person Giving

Oral Report:

N/A

Written Report

Title:

Planning and Environment Report P/2010/1268

Date of Written Report:

12 November 2010

Written Report Author:

A Townsend

Principal Planner

Written Report :

Public or Exempt?

Public

Subject: Les Ormes Golf & Leisure Village, Le Mont a la Brune, St. Brelade, JE3 8FL

Masterplan for the redevelopment of leisure village comprising construct of new greenkeeping facilities, construction of 12 No. staff accommodation units, construction of 6 No. self catering units. Change of use of existing staff accommodation to residential, relocation of gymnasium to existing tennis centre, construction of 22 No. self catering units on location of redundant buildings and conversion of existing store building to self catering accommodation. EIA Submitted.

Decision(s):

Approval following amendment of application to show Greenkeepers shed lowered and the 3 existing staff units in South East corner retained as staff units or used for self catering, with a commensurate reduction in the number of new build units proposed elsewhere.

The Greenkeepers Shed can then be approved under Delegated Powers.

Reason(s) for Decision:

The Minister considered the Department’s report of 12 November 2010 at a Public Ministerial Meeting on 26 November 2010 and deferred for further consideration.

The Department’s recommendation was that although much of the Masterplan was acceptable, there were reservations with regard to the greenkeeper’s hut and the number of self-catering and staff units. The proposal to replace three existing staff units with new buildings enabling the existing to become open market housing was wholly unacceptable.

The Minister noted both the policy issues and concerns raised by the Department and also the recreational and economic benefits to the Island, and concluded as follows.

Greenkeepers Shed – The Minister had asked the applicant to consider putting this underground.

The applicant responded that this would cost an additional £220,000. As an alternative, they offered to lower the building further so that it would be almost entirely obscured from view from outside the site and particularly from St. Ouen’s Bay. As the Island Plan policies in principle accept the improvement of tourism and recreational facilities provided they have no detrimental landscape impact, this can be accepted.

It is noted that as part of that detailed application the National Trust suggest that the building should be moved further to the east, closer to the existing buildings. This has been countered by the applicants who note that there is an existing band of landscaping which could be retained if the building is constructed as proposed. If it is moved closer to the other buildings then this landscaping strip would be diminished.

Move Gym to first floor balcony within the Tennis Centre – Acceptable.

Demolish existing gym building and staff accommodation replacing these staff units with a new staff block in the north eastern corner of the site – Acceptable.

Construct new self-catering units in the north-east corner of the site and in place of the eastern green keeper’s shed and gym and staff block (30 units in total) – Acceptable. The policies of the Island Plan allow for the extension of existing tourist accommodation sites, and the success and value to the Island economy of these units has been proven. Although the St. Ouen’s Planning Framework Policies presume against the construction of new self-catering accommodation, it was noted that the locations proposed would not be visible from the wider St. Ouens Bay Area.

Alamo – proposed refurbishment and creation of dormitory self-catering unit – Acceptable. The Minister asked however that the value of this building as a Registered structure be investigated by MRLAG.

Replace three self-catering units on the eastern side of the site with three new staff units in the north-east corner, allowing the existing staff units to be used as open market A-H housing – Not acceptable. These three units were allowed as recently as 2006 on the basis of a need for staff accommodation on the site. Policy H14 of the Island Plan expects such to be retained whilst there is still a demand for it on the site which there clearly is in this case. It would be inappropriate to allow these to be lost to open market housing and to allow replacement staff accommodation in their place. It was accepted however that these three units could either be retained as staff accommodation, or used as self catering, on the basis that the number of new build units proposed elsewhere was reduced by 3.

Further details – The Minister noted that this was an Outline application and that further details would be required through a Reserved Matters application. Conditions are imposed as set out below.

Proposed Conditions

Reserved Matters application(s) to be submitted.
Reserved Matters application to include full details of architecture which is expected to be of the highest quality together with full details of environmental construction proposals including recycling, use of grey water and ground or air source heat pumps.
All properties to be retained by the charity as part of this site and not sold off or let independently, as they have only been allowed on the basis of the use by the charity and the benefits thereof.
All self-catering units to be subject to the standard occupancy requirements.
Percentage for Art Statement to be included in the Reserved Matters application.
Retention of architect and confirmation that the development has been undertaken to their satisfaction.
All staff units to be retained for the use of staff working on this site for the applicant.

Resource Implications:

None

Action required:

Notify Agent.

Signature:

PLeg / PT Initials

Position:

Minister for Planning and Environment

Date Signed:

Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):