Leale’s Yard consultation: nine out of 10 in favour
MORE than nine out of 10 people who got involved in the Co-op’s consultation are backing its proposals for the redevelopment of Leale’s Yard.
Half of more than 600 people who took part in the questionnaire were from either Vale or St Sampson’s, and approval ratings among parishioners were almost 95%.
The results of the consultation, which took place back in April, have been published by the society to coincide with the application for outline planning consent going ‘live’ on the States’ planning portal website, enabling islanders to comment publicly on the plans.
Among those who took part in the consultation were 25 deputies and 40 members of the douzaines.
The consultation consisted of a series of briefing sessions, a public drop in exhibition and a questionnaire.
The key findings and detailed comments received will be used by the society and its partner, Rihoy and Son, to ‘further inform’ the development, which includes more than 320 new homes, many designed to be affordable, the creation of a new purpose-built food store, new community spaces, and lanes for active modes of transport, as well as new commercial spaces.
‘The vision for the development is to deliver a community-led scheme that will create a better place to live for residents, a better place to shop for our customers, a better place to work for our colleagues, and a better public realm for the community,’ said the Channel Island Co-op’s chief executive officer Mark Cox.
‘We assure that this fantastic feedback will be used to influence and realise this vision.’
He said that formal comments on the plans, which can be done through the States’ planning portal, would be welcomed.
‘We want the island’s authorities to know that the overwhelming majority of islanders support and like the scheme, and want to see new homes, new businesses, and a new community established.
‘We want the island’s planners to have the confidence to progress the scheme, to know it’s not a “leap of faith” in approving it, but the wish and the will of islanders to see progress.’
Jeremy Rihoy, chairman of Rihoy & Son, also thanked the public for engagement in the survey.
‘A development of the scale and complexity of Leale’s Yard can only be successfully delivered with the full engagement and involvement of the community,’ he said.
‘The great feedback provided acts as a real incentive to local companies like the Co-op and Rihoy & Son to push on with our plans to invest millions into the local economy and realise a fantastic asset for the island’s future generations.’
A decision on the planning application is expected to be reached later this year, and with a positive outcome, work could start next year.
