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NEW housing schemes will need to provide a parking space for every unit of accommodation after a proposition was supported by politicians in the States Assembly. St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft brought forward the proposition to combat what he described as the disadvantages faced by town dwellers, and won the vote convincingly by 26-11. The result requires Environment Minister Steve Luce to revise planning guidance to ensure that “where practicable, a minimum of one parking space is provided per unit of accommodation”. Mr Crowcroft said that existing planning policy was “making it harder and harder for people, particularly in town, to enjoy the right of car ownership”. Deputy Luce described the subject as “a popular and emotive issue, especially in the lead-up to an election”, adding: “It may seem like a small change, but it would be catastrophic on many levels and take the Island back 30 years.” Planning guidance in the area had been introduced as recently as October 2023, Deputy Luce noted, saying the guidance provided flexibility and should be assessed in order to produce evidence about its effectiveness or the need for change, but argued that the Constable had not produced any evidence. “The economic risks cannot be overstated,” the minister added. “The government is committed to reducing house prices and support the construction industry, but [the need for] a parking space will make housing less affordable. Including a parking space would add £30,000 to £70,000 to the cost of a typical unit of accommodation, he said, equating to extra mortgage payments of between £175 and £410 per month. “This could make a difference between owning a home and being locked out of the market entirely,” he said. Constable Karen Stone said that it was wrong to treat residents of St Helier differently to those in other parishes, highlighting the difficulties of parking in town by carers, tradespeople and other visitors to those living in town. Deputy Rob Ward accused some Members of having a “phobia” about St Helier, while Deputy Tom Coles said public transport was not suitable for everyone, notably those Islanders who took part in shooting and surfing. The two political parties represented in the Assembly, Reform Jersey and Advance Jersey, were criticised by Deputy Kirsten Morel for supporting the proposition. “When it comes to election years, too many States Members are willing to jettison their principles in trying to justify the unjustifiable,” he said. Deputy Morel quoted a message received from the Jersey Construction Council stating that the move would cause a number of housing projects to be halted as they would become unaffordable. Speaking after the States decision, Carl Mavity, Andium’s chief operations officer, said: “We always aim to deliver parking where it is physically and financially practicable. “The costs of providing car parking, particularly underground on urban sites can be significant, and naturally that impacts on our ability to provide homes to rent at 80% of the market rate, and homes to buy on our Homebuy Scheme at 75% of market value. “However, our current development programme of nearly 600 new homes, including more than 240 new family houses, already in construction or approved by planning will not be affected.”
