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The owner of a dog-walking and daycare centre in St Ouen has lashed out at the "stress and confusion" of the planning process, which has left her unable to fully operate her business for the last six months.
"Jersey claims to support young people and local businesses, yet actions speak louder than words," said Koko's Canines owner Kumiko Orlandini.
The plans for Kumiko's dog shelter in Rue des Hougues were granted in June 2023, despite having been recommended for refusal by the Planning Department because of its "unsustainable" location in a protected coastal area.
Approving the plans, the Planning Committee decided that the shelter would not cause "irreversible harm" to the existing agricultural land at La Robeline, and that it was beneficial to the community.
However, just one month later, a member of the public appealed against the decision to grant her permission to use the site and Kumiko was told that she had to cease trading, pending the outcome of the appeal.
The appeal hearing took place in November and, despite originally being promised the outcome by Christmas, Kumiko said she has still not received an update about when she can reopen her business.
Speaking to Express, she explained: "We had to close the site when the appeal was lodged.
"We received no guidance or support and were told to leave the site based on one person putting in an appeal which had no new grounds or brought anything new to the table, so I don’t think it should have even been allowed."
Kumiko added: "The centre is still not open as we haven’t had any news and have been left in the dark completely.
"We were told we’d find out before Christmas if not the start of January."
In her social media post, she wrote: "As a young business owner, it's disheartening, and it's no wonder young people consider leaving the island.
"It sheds light on the challenges people face, questioning how anyone can survive in Jersey."
Other local business owners have also recently criticised the “outdated” planning processes which “slow innovation” and “hinder well-intentioned initiatives”.
Natalie Mayer, who pushed forward the now-approved plans to convert St Ouen’s Methodist chapel into an indoor skatepark and cultural centre, said the “slow process” of “bureaucratic box-ticking” created challenges for her non-profit project.
Pictured: Cole McLean, owner of the Sauna Society, said the planning process "slows down innovation". (David Ferguson)
Days later, the owner of a local sauna company Cole McLean echoed her criticism, saying that the planning process was "keeping Jersey back in the dark ages".
“Surely we should be supporting entrepreneurship and businesses in general and not shutting them down to some outdated box-ticking methods currently in place?" he said.
“The whole system needs a revamp, as this current one isn't fit for purpose, it slows down innovation and is keeping Jersey back in the dark ages.”
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