Tamba Park plan decision deferred

09 April 2018

​A decision on development plans for Tamba Park has been deferred for more information.

The proposals (P/2017/1023 and P/2017/0805) are for a new 27-unit holiday village and a four-bedroom house at Retreat Farm (Tamba Park) on land bordering St Lawrence and St Mary.

The applications were reviewed in a public inquiry requested by the Minister for the Environment because the development would be a significant departure from the States-approved Island Plan if agreed. Tamba Park is in the Green Zone, where there is a general presumption against development.

The Island Plan is the basis for all planning decisions in Jersey, and is underpinned by a strategy to direct new development into more built up areas, and away from the countryside.

The inquiry was overseen by an independent planning inspector, Graham Self, who has sent a report to the Minister.  He hasn’t made recommendations yet about whether the schemes satisfy Island Plan policies, but he raises a number of questions about the holiday village application (P/2017/1023). These concern extra information on the proposals given at the public inquiry, and the clarity of the plans.

Minister for the Environment, Deputy Steve Luce said “Following the public inquiry I’d like to determine these applications as soon as possible, but I can’t do that until I have received a report from the inspector with a recommendation on the merits of the proposal. Given the comments made by the inspector, I have asked the applicant for clarification of certain matters relating to these applications. This information will allow the inspector to consider the applications further and supply me with a supplementary report.”

The applications will be re-advertised to allow members of the public and all interested parties to have adequate opportunity to consider the proposals. All comments received will be forwarded to the inspector.

Deputy Luce said “The delay is regrettable but given the importance of these decisions, I must ensure that the inspector and I are totally clear about what is being proposed.”

Once the inspector has sent a supplementary report to the Minister, Deputy Luce will decide whether to approve or refuse the applications and the inspector’s reports will be published.