MINUTES OF THE ROADS COMMITTEE MEETING – A AGENDAHELD IN THE FIRST FLOOR COMMITTEE ROOM AT THE TOWN HALL ON
WEDNESDAY, 11 JUNE 2014 AT 9.30AM
PRESENT: / Constable S Crowcroft
Mr R Le Brocq
The Very Rev R Key (Dean)
Mr G Jennings
Mr N Blake
Mr P Wade
Mr J Wilding
APOLOGIES: / Mr P Pearce (Procureur du Bien Public)
IN ATTENDANCE: / Mr C Barton (Procureur du Bien Public)
Mr J Stievenard (Director of Technical & Environmental Services)
Mr R McKenzie (Town Centre Manager)
OPEN MEETING / Having been previously circulated, the ‘A’ Agenda Minutes of the meeting held on 7 May 2014 were agreed with one amendment:
Mr Wilding was not in attendance at the last meeting and had given his apologies.
MATTERS ARISING / None
AGENDA ITEMS
124/14 - TOWN CENTRE MANAGER’S REPORT / The Town Centre Manager provided his monthly report which indicated a slight decrease in footfall.
·  Halkett Street – a new scheme, which the traders were supportive of, would be brought to Committee in due course, thanks to Andre Sty for drawing up the scheme.
·  Funding has been secured from Economic Development for a Sunday market in New Street (£14K), this will be used to purchase 16 gazebos and a trailer which could also be used at other events.
·  New town centre signage – an additional £40K had been gained from the Tourism Development Fund for the signage. The design is in the final stages and will be completed next week. It will be quick and cheap to make changes to the sign as they are made of a fibrous material and individual sections can be removed and replaced as necessary.
·  Halkett Place parking – following consultation with TTS part of the unloading bay will be changed to 20 minute paycard spaces. If successful there is a possibility further parking could be introduced especially as the car park behind JT is now available to traders. Mr Stievenard agreed to find the previous correspondence with TTS with regard to herringbone parking in Halkett Place.
·  Halkett Street – unloading can take place until 10.00am daily and this is being abused by delivery drivers meaning that some of the shops are unable to open and trade until after this time. A permit system will be introduced which has 100% support from the traders. If this is effective a similar arrangement could be introduced in Bath Street but the problem there is not as severe.
·  Town Centre/Traders groups – as Mr McKenzie is leaving the Parish somebody needs to take responsibility for these groups.
The Committee thanked Mr McKenzie for all his hard work in the Parish and wished him good luck for the future.
125/14 - ROAD SAFETY CONCERNS – HELVETIA HOUSE SCHOOL, ELIZABETH LANE & PARADE ROAD / Previous minute 103/14 refers
Two specific matters were raised at the April 2014 meeting; parking for dropping off and picking up children and pedestrian safety on Parade Road.
Drop off and pick up
The Parish has written to the TTS Car Parks Manager requesting the use of Elizabeth Place Car Park by parents, however support has not been forthcoming citing the high turnover of vehicles at rush hour periods as the main reason. One of the parents has undertaken a number of surveys at the car park which shows that at the times required there are a considerable number of vacant spaces.
Pedestrian safety in Parade Road
The Committee has accepted that the southern footway in Parade Road (adjacent to the school) is narrow and it would be preferable if this could be widened. It has also been acknowledged that increasing the footway in width will effectively reduce the carriageway to the extent that two vehicles could not queue side by side and thereby reduce the efficiency of the junction for both parents and residents, and the possible impact on traffic flow around the ring road.
It is acknowledged that the main concern of the school relates to a half hour period morning and afternoon and options to improve safety around these times should be specifically assessed. Two possibilities could be considered ie a permanent pavement extension or a temporary part time pavement extension. Because of the very precise procedure, training, risks and costs associated with temporary signing such an arrangement would not be recommended or supported by T & E Officers. The school has also suggested a further alternative being a shorter pavement extension and creation of an additional door opening, although this suggestion has its merits the Committee felt that this option should not be pursued on safety grounds.
Consideration could also be given to alternative entrance/exits eg the doorway on the south-eastern elevation of the School which gives directly on to Elizabeth Place and via the garages with access from Elizabeth Lane, this would enable the hazardous Parade Road door to be closed.
Following media coverage of the April 2014 Committee meeting two letters in the JEP expressed concern over potential changes to Parade Road and Deputy Rondel received representation from two other residents living in West Park Avenue stating that, if any material changes are proposed to the road layout or traffic flow a full consultation exercise should be undertaken.
The Committee felt that the primary concern is safety for all pedestrians, not just those accessing the school, there is an increase in the number of residential properties in this area, walking is being promoted to fit in with the States travel plan aspirations and something needed to be done before an accident happened. A “walking bus” was suggested but not felt to be a practical solution.
The Committee agreed that the use of Elizabeth Lane Car Park for drop off and pick up should be pursued with the TTS Minister and that the school, although it is private, should be treated the same as First Tower School. The TTS Minister could be invited to a future meeting to hear the views of the Committee if necessary.
The Committee also agreed that a consultation exercise on pavement widening in Parade Road should be carried out. It was suggested that the pavement is widened on the south side as the north side is already wider and is adequate. It was pointed out that if the pavement was widened parents would not be able to stop and drop off children, which they should not be doing any way as it is unsafe and illegal and that bollards or a railing to be provided adjacent to school to ensure safety, a railing would stop people parking between the bollards.
It was noted that the school warning sign was now in situ on Elizabeth Place.
126/14 - ROAD HUMPS - LA GRANDE ROUTE DU MONT À L’ABBÉ / Previous minute 83/14 refers
The Committee were advised that the consultation exercise had revealed overall support for the installation of the humps (82%), with only one respondent stating vehemently that he did not want the hump positioned outside his property. To address this particular request the options are to relocate all the humps along the length of the road, to ensure they are equidistant, or to just relocate this particular hump, the most southerly one on the road.
The Committee agreed that only the one hump should be relocated and this may actually have benefits in that drivers may pay more attention to humps if they are not equidistant and it will mean the first hump is closer to the junction with Clarke Avenue. A pedestrian crossing at the junction with Clarke Avenue was suggested by one Committee member.
Approval now needs to be sought from the TTS Minister and the work could be carried out gradually in the autumn.
127/14 - REFURBISHMENT - MANOR PARK ROAD / Previous minute 104/14
The Committee were advised that the consultation exercise had taken place and revealed overall support (94%) for option 1, to renew the kerbs and footpaths in their current positions and retain the four on street car parking spaces.
Following the Committee’s request an open evening was held which was attended by 29 residents of Manor Park Road, the overwhelming feedback from that meeting was to let the current situation stand.
The Committee agreed that option 1 should be pursued and residents advised accordingly. It is envisaged the work will commence in autumn. Consideration would also be given to a continuous pavement at the junction with La Pouquelaye.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
128/14 - ST BRIAC, LA ROUTE DE LA TRINITE, ST HELIER, JE2 4JN / P/2014/0678
St Briac, La Route de la Trinite, St Helier, JE2 4JN
Demolish extension to north elevation and annexe to east elevation. Raise roof to increase habitable space at first floor and install dormer windows and rooflights. Construct 2 storey extension to north elevation and 2 storey extension to east elevation to create new two bed unit. Change of use of land to east into domestic curtilage and construct detached garage outbuilding.
The Roads Committee has examined plans for the above submission and comment as follows:
·  Notwithstanding the La Route de la Trinite is a States main road that a minimum visibility of 30 metres is achieved between the driver 2 metres within the access and drivers in the centre of the near side and off side traffic lanes. Everything in the visibility areas so formed including gates, pillars, walls and plants growth to be permanently restricted in height to 900 mm above road level.
·  That the refuse store and collection arrangements are agreed in detail with the Parish Refuse Manager.
129/14 - WESTMOUNT QUARRY (FORMER PARISH DEPOT), WESTMOUNT ROAD, ST HELIER / RP/2014/0685
Westmount Quarry (Former Parish Depot), Westmount Road, St Helier
Redevelopment of former Parish Depot and disused quarry to provide 242 residential apartments, plus ground floor artist’s studio and resident’s gym, basement and ground level parking for 256 vehicles with associated plant and refuse areas. Alterations to existing vehicular entrance. Creation of new ground level public space to include improved access to cemetery, new landscaped residential amenity space, re-grading, stabilisation and re-planting of existing quarry faces. (EIS submitted). REVISED PLANS: Change in unit mix at Block B, 12 x 2 bed units to be replaced with 18 x 1 bed units. Associated elevational alterations.
The Roads Committee do not support this application for the following reasons:
·  The Roads Committee note that the number of apartments has increased by 6 units however the car parking has not been increased, this would mean the loss of 6 parking spaces that are allocated to visitors, users of the gym and the artist’s workshop. If the applicant seeks ways of addressing these requirements the Parish will be happy to support the submission.
·  Increase in apartments may also mean added requirements for refuse bins and recycling, this should be checked with the Parish Refuse Manager.
130/14 - UNITED SERVICES CLUB, 13 RUE DE FUNCHAL, ST HELIER, JE2 4TT / P/2014/0696
United Services Club, 13 Rue de Funchal, St Helier, JE2 4TT
Erect 2 flagpoles on principal elevation. Demolish small entrance step to construct sloping entry.
The Parish has no objections to this application provided that the requirements of the Highways Encroachments (Jersey) Regulations 1957 are complied with.
·  Flagstaffs and flags projections from a building may extend beyond the boundary of the building with the highway but so that no part thereof is less than 9 feet above the level of a footpath or less than 18 feet above the level of a carriageway).
·  It is appreciated that the drawing does not indicate any dimensions; however it appears from the photo montage that the applicant’s proposed flagpoles would contravene the Highways Encroachments (Jersey) Regulations 1957.
131/14 - DIAMOND CHINESE RESTAURANT, 63 HALKETT PLACE, ST HELIER, JE2 4WG / P/2014/0700
Diamond Chinese Restaurant, 63 Halkett Place, St Helier, JE2 4WG
Conversion of staff accommodation and storage into 4 No residential apartments.
The Roads Committee do not support this application for the following reasons:
·  The Parish’s policy is to support single unit conversions for upper floor commercial properties within the core retail area without off street parking, but the proposal to create four units with no such provision cannot be supported. It should be noted that no on street car parking is available close by (apart from 1 hour short stay) and the approval of this application will place unacceptable pressure on any available parking in nearby streets.
·  That the refuse store and collection arrangements are agreed in detail with the Parish Refuse Manager. It is noted that no bin provision has been shown which will be required.
132/14 - 22 PEIRSON ROAD, ST HELIER, JE2 3PD / P/2014/0713
22 Peirson Road, St Helier, JE2 3PD
Convert existing first and second floor accommodation into 3 No flats.
The Roads Committee has examined plans for the above submission and comment as follows:
·  That a minimum visibility of 30 metres is achieved between the driver 2 metres within the access and drivers in the centre of the near side and off side traffic lanes. Everything in the visibility areas so formed including gates, pillars, walls and plants growth to be permanently restricted in height to 900 mm above road level. Visibility out of the garage is compromised.
·  The refuse store and collection arrangements are agreed in detail with the Parish Refuse Manager.
·  A refuse separation and recycling strategy is agreed in conjunction with the Parish.
133/14 - 20 & 22 DAVID PLACE, ST HELIER, JE2 4TD / P/2014/0719
20 & 22 David Place, St Helier, JE2 4TD
Change of use from doctors’ surgery at ground floor and first floor level to four one bedroom flats, including associated alterations and first floor rear extension.
The Roads Committee do not support this application for the following reasons:
·  That the refuse store and collection arrangements are agreed in detail with the Parish Refuse Manager.
·  It is noted that an additional 4 units of accommodation will be created added to the existing 2 units. As per previous comments made on this application reference P/2011/0604, the Roads Committee remains firm in its stance that a minimum of one off street private parking space should be provided for each unit of accommodation.