SOS Jersey publish the new plans submitted to the Planning Minister which are totally changed from the planned phasing.
On Wednesday night (7 Jan) in the JEP, former Senator Ben Shenton listed the failings of the Waterfront Enterprise Board to maximise the £20 million transferred to it from the public purse in 1997 to finance capital projects on the Waterfront.
For example, they failed to deliver the promised six-lane competition pool but the taxpayer ended up with losses of more than £400,000 pa and a substandard pool.
<— Click pic for larger version. This situation continued with their successors, the States of Jersey Development Company (SoJDC), who are squandering taxpayers’ money on salaries, bonuses and UK consultants as they plan and re-plan the Esplanade car park development.
Mr Shenton comments, ‘In 2008 The States passed the Waterfront Masterplan. Rather helpfully the Bailiff was asked to clarify what we were agreeing to as politicians. His reply was, “The Assembly is debating the overall architectural scheme, the sinking of the road and matters of that kind.” During the debate we were promised no taxpayer risk, a £95 million bond and a holistic scheme which would no involve ad hoc building.
‘Also in 2008, P111 was passed by 40 votes to one. It stated that no development should be signed by WEB/SoJDC in relation to the proposed Esplanade Quarter until the details of the proposed development had been presented by the Chief Minister and approved by the Assembly….This demand has completely been ignored.’
Since 2008, the plans for the Esplanade car park have shifted well away from the initial agreed and phased plans and without reference back to the States as agreed.
Since the Royal Bank of Canada rather wisely pulled out of this fiasco (Building no 1), the SoJDC has been wooing the UBS bank to take some of the floorspace of Building no 4, which is located in the area (top right – north east corner).
Now they are submitting a scheme to Planning, for Building No 5 and linking that area as the first phase and putting on indefinite hold the promised new public underground car park.
A major complication appears to be included in the plans:
- A new dual carriageway on to the Master Plan drawings has been included which appears to be directly across the line of the proposed new underpass road/roundabout…
- …with the new public basement car park supposedly accessed off the roundabout marked A.
It would appear impossible for both roads to exist/function and thus affords ‘proof’ the underpass will not be sunk: the plans also show the new dual carriage road which, as drawn, means that the promised and vital component of the Master Plan, the sinking of the main road, cannot be achieved!
**This latest incarnation of the ‘shifted’ first phase of the Esplande Quarter is a mish mash and will be a huge inconvenience for motorists, traffic, workers and commuters.
**It will create a large volume of extra traffic for those who live in Rue de l’Etau (Castle Quay residents in particular).
**The environmental impact is as yet unknown: the toxic fill we know is there is as yet unscoped and the potential health risks to the public of moving these huge amounts of contaminated ash and asbestos is extremely worrying.