Jersey's States Assembly has approved measures requiring parking spaces for all new residential developments despite environmental goals looking to limit cars in the region.
The proposal secured passage with 26 votes in favour and 11 against in a parliamentary debate, which will now look to favour driving benefits.
Constable Simon Crowcroft championed the changes, arguing that existing planning regulations discriminated against parking provision, particularly in St Helier, where numerous properties were being constructed without adequate vehicle storage.
Environment Minister Deputy Steve Luce branded the plans "a disaster", warning they would burden an already struggling development industry with additional expenses.
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"This proposition will make homes less affordable," Mr Luce stated, emphasising concerns about increased construction costs at a time when the sector faces significant challenges.
Mr Crowcroft highlighted specific examples of inadequate parking provision in recent developments, pointing to a project mentioned in local media where merely fourteen parking spaces were planned for approximately 28 residential units.
"We are seeing properties being built all the time, especially in St Helier, where a total rebuild is happening," Mr Crowcroft said during the debate.
He emphasised that current regulations meant at least half of residents in such developments would be unable to own vehicles, describing car ownership as a basic expectation for town dwellers.
Under the new proposals, new homes built will benefit from parking spaces
| PA"On the St Helier roads committee, we regularly see applications where developers say we don't have to provide parking, so let's save some costs and let's not provide people in St Helier with parking," he added.
The October 2023 supplementary planning guidance establishes sustainable transport zones across Jersey, with St Helier town centre designated as zone one, where maximum parking standards apply rather than minimum requirements.
This framework permits developers to construct residential buildings without any parking provision in the town centre, supporting higher-density development and sustainable transport objectives.
The guidance divides Jersey into six zones based on accessibility to public transport and services, with St Helier town centre considered the most accessible area with easy walking and cycling access to workplaces, shops and leisure facilities.
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The proposal looked to promote parking spaces despite environmental plans
| GETTY
The overhaul hoped to provide more homes with parking spaces in the area
| GETTY"It actually allows a developer to build in the centre of town and not provide any parking at all, and I think that's a mistake," Mr Crowcroft stated, criticising the current policy approach.
Deputy Luce expressed particular concern about the timing of the changes, noting that many sites currently under development would face additional expenditure requirements.
"I think it's a disaster for many reasons, for the development industry, this would be a challenge for them at a time when the industry is in crisis," he stated.
The Environment Minister argued that mandatory parking provision would complicate ongoing projects and potentially halt some developments altogether.
His opposition reflected broader concerns about balancing housing affordability with parking requirements, particularly given Jersey's finite land resources and pressure for residential development.
The Minister's warnings about increased costs resonated with some State members, though ultimately proved insufficient to defeat the proposition.
The guidance aims to reduce vehicular congestion and carbon emissions while making efficient use of limited developable land, supporting Jersey's Carbon Neutral Roadmap objectives.
Under the existing framework, St Helier town centre allows car-free developments to encourage walking, cycling and public transport use, with the area benefiting from controlled on-street parking and proximity to bus services.
The new requirements will overturn this approach, mandating parking provision wherever practically achievable across all sustainable transport zones, potentially conflicting with established policies promoting active travel and efficient urban development.