Green light for reworked £3m Oakfield sports centre plans

Wednesday 02 February 2022

Lowering the height “ever so slightly” and adding bushes was enough to convince the Planning Committee to approve proposals for a £3.15m upgrade to Oakfield sports centre after a previous refusal.

This morning's decision comes after the Government announced this week that an alternative source of funding would have to be found for the refurbishment of the sports centre as “the complexity of the project and the impact of the delays in planning” meant it would take too long to complete and would therefore no longer be eligible to be a 'stimulus' project.

A grant of £3.15m had previously been allocated under the ‘Fiscal Stimulus Fund’ – a money pot aimed at stimulating the island’s pandemic-hit economy – in April 2021.

The refurbishment and improvement of the facilities at the sports centre were part of the wider £100m strategy to move sports out of Fort Regent and create a network of training locations across the island. 

Plans for the centre were rejected by the Planning Committee in October 2021 over concerns the design was “cheap" and "lightweight” and that parking would be an issue.

Former Planning Minister Deputy Steve Luce described the plans a “massive intensification of the area”, saying it felt like “trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot”.

“We could do much better, I don’t see much vision here,” he added. “I am disappointed we are not doing better, mainly because of parking and the impact it’s going to have on people around.”

Pictured: The new plans proposed to hide the building behind greenery along Wellington Road.

The new plans were published in early December with minimal changes. 

This included reducing the height of the building by 700mm, changing the materials used for the outside of the building “to reduce the visual impact of the scheme and light spillage”, and adding more bushes and trees.

Presenting the application this morning, Planning Officer Chris Jones said the proposals were now deemed acceptable and recommended them for approval.

Justin O’Brien and Catriona McAllister, CEO of Jersey Sport, both spoke in support of the plans. They explained discussions had taken place with Highlands College regarding parking, noting that the removal of portacabins at the college would free up additional spaces. 

Ms McAllister said the sports centre would not be an events venue but a sports training facility, which would need to be mainly prebooked. She said those wishing to use the facility would be told to use the car park at Highlands College.

Mr O’Brien also said a pedestrian link would be created between the sports centre and the college.

Pictured: Oakfield users will be encouraged to park at Highlands College.

The Planning Committee’s Chair, Trinity Constable Philip Le Sueur, said a neighbour had questioned the height of the building, suggesting it could be lower but Mr O’Brien said it had been “squeezed out as much as possible”.

Constable Le Sueur welcomed the “design improvements” and the additional work done to secure additional parking, noting that a sports hall by its very nature would be “very large and difficult to hide”, and approved the plans.

Deputy Graham Truscott said he was happy to approve the application, saying the change of materials would help reduce the masse of the building. 

Deputy Jeremy Maçon said he had received “nasty comments from the sporting lobby” after he rejected the initial application but said the new one proposed a “much better design” and approved it. 

St. Clément Constable Marcus Troy, who had abstained from voting on the previous application, welcomed the work done but said there would still be “serious problems in car parking”. He however said he understood the sports facility needed to go somewhere and approved the plans. 

Deputy Steve Luce refused the plans. He noted how the height had been “taken down ever so slightly” but said it was disappointing “we haven’t tried hard to get it lower”. 

He also noted the attempts to address the car park issues but said the proposed solution would result in “a lot of car miles” and “a lot of carbon and traffic movement” in the area.

Following the announcement of the Committee's decision, Deputy Hugh Raymond, the Assistant Minister for Economic Development with responsibility for Sport, said the Government would soon be able to complete the procurement process for contractors to carry out the work.