Tense exchanges over question of viability

But the idea was refuted by director of planning Jim Rowles, who said that by virtue of the land being in the local centre, its value was increased.

The viability of the project, the costs involved and how those sums were reached were at the heart of tense exchanges at the meeting and the application’s subsequent deferral.

Mr Rowles said the publication of a development framework in 2018 had allowed three sites under three separate owners to come together for a comprehensive scheme, with benefits like an improved car park and pedestrian connectivity. He said the only thing it did not provide was affordable housing.

But Deputy Kazantseva-Miller was not convinced. She was concerned about the viability survey, which found the developer would only make a 13% profit if the site complied with policy GP11 of the Island Development Plan, well below the 20% required to make a scheme viable.

Part of that included buying Grande Rue car park from the States for £250,000 and then paying to improve it, before handing it back to the States.

That would include a better layout, turning point and drop-off area, while the developer would benefit from access to land to the south of the car park.

But Deputy Kazantseva-Miller described the deal as ‘complete nonsense’, and said the land to the south would have a much lower value if not for the car park, as there would be no way to access it.

Outgoing DPA member Andy Taylor also spent extensive time questioning Philip Touzeau, from BTP, about the viability report he had prepared.

Deputy Taylor questioned whether a 20% profit was reasonable and realistic as labour and material costs rose.

Mr Touzeau said that if there was only a 10% profit, a developer would struggle to secure the money needed from a lender to move forward, as the lender would want a 20% profit to protect itself from risk.

The original application attracted more than 40 objections and several of the objectors took the chance to speak at yesterday’s meeting.

Environment & Infrastructure president Deputy Lindsay De Sausmarez lives very close by and was speaking as a St Martin’s resident at the meeting.

She said she could understand people wanting to enjoy the benefits of village life, but she was worried about the lack of affordable housing.

Home Affairs president Deputy Rob Prow also spoke, representing islanders who had approached him with concerns about how the proposed development would dominate the area.

St Martin’s resident and former deputy Carla Bauer said she supported the idea of development, but not the style of building and large number of parking spaces.

‘It’s suburbia in the centre of the village. It’s not appropriate.’