Parish plans play feature to honour Clinton Pringle

Friday 27 September 2019

A play feature honouring a toddler tragically killed after he was struck by a van while on holiday in the island is being considered as part of plans to extend the Town Park, the St. Helier Constable has announced.

Three-year-old Clinton Pringle could have a play feature built in his memory when Millennium Park is extended as part of plans to develop the former Gas Place site into a housing development.

The comments were made at the Planning Committee Meeting where proposals to develop the site were unanimously approved. 

Speaking in favour of the plans, Constable Simon Crowcroft said that he “welcomed” the project, which will comprise at least 20% worth of ‘affordable’ housing and would extend the Town Park even further.

Pictured: The proposals include an extension of the Town Park.

Although the St. Helier Constable acknowledged that the application was not for the landscaping of the extension of the Town Park, he said that, “following the tragic death of Clinton Pringle”, he hopes part of the plans will include a “play feature” such as a “boating pond” or “skate park” that “might bear his name”. 

The Constable said he had already discussed his intentions with Andium Homes.

There is already a memorial plaque honouring Clinton’s memory after he was fatally injured on Tunnell Street in 2016 when on his way into the park whilst on holiday with his parents.  

But now the park is being extended by about 60% as part of the new plans develop more of the old Gas Place site, Constable Crowcroft suggested that Clinton should be remembered by a feature within the park itself.

Elsewhere in yesterday's hearing, the application brought by Andium Homes and Waddington Architects was discussed and one person spoke against the plans. 

Andrew Le Quesne criticised the “usage of the site”, arguing that it would have made more sense for the site to be developed into a new school for St. Helier and the old Springfield and Janvrin sites being used for housing.

Pictured: Mr Le Quesne argued that the site would be better used as a school.

“There’s a lack of strategic thinking that’s underpinning this,” Mr Le Quesne remarked, saying that the new development would just put more pressure on the nearby schools which he described as already “bursting at the seams”.

He added that he was “not against building the apartments, they’re just in the wrong place".

The architect leading on this project, Mike Waddington, also spoke at the hearing in favour of his plans. 

At this stage, the designs only show the scale and footprint of the development and the detail of how the blocks will look is yet to be decided or approved. These matters will come back to the Planning Committee when the designs are submitted.

Pictured: These illustrations show the size and scope of the development, but the final design is yet to be finalised. (Waddington Architects) 

Mr Waddington said that the plans comprised what he referred to as “the five C’s – context, connectivity, community, climate and character".

Describing the development as a “win-win for our community”, the architect explained that the proposals will not only bring more housing to the area but it will also allow for more public and residential parking below ground.

He finished his submissions by expressing the hope that the project will “bring delight to St. Helier for many decades to come”. 

The meeting was heard by the Planning Committee Panel comprising Vice-Chair Deputy Graham Truscott, Deputy Rowland Huelin and Constable Philip Le Sueur. Ultimately the panel voted unanimously in favour of the plans. 

Pictured: The development was unanimously approved by the Planning Committee. (Waddington Architects)

The Committee was also due to consider the application to bring a Premier Inn to the north of town as part of a large-scale regeneration project, but, due to the Historic Environment Officer being called away on a “personal, serious matter”, consideration of those plans has been adjourned to a later date.