Fresh bid to transform St Helier scrubland into community garden

Sunday 14 July 2024

The St Helier Youth and Community Trust is again hoping to get its plans for a community garden past the planning department after spending a year "trying to turn a field into a field".

The Trust, which provides financial support to individuals, community projects and charitable organisations, wants to transform scrubland at La Pouquelaye northwest of Centrepoint.

Outlining its proposal in a design statement, it explained that the purpose of the project is to establish a community garden "for the benefit of the elderly, disabled people – particularly those with sight impairment".

Pictured: The St Helier Youth and Community Trust wants to use scrubland at La Pouquelaye for a community garden (SHYCT).

The statement continued: "It will also be used by young people as the plans include a forest school, orchard, children's allotments and sensory garden.

"The north of St Helier is a highly densely populated area, with very few community facilities."

However, it's not the first time the Trust has tried to get the project off the ground.

An application was last year refused by the Planning Department, which cited several concerns relating to parking, a lack of an environmental impact report and maintenance plan, as well as the potential impact on the privacy of surrounding land owners.

Pictured: Chairman Andy Lewis expressed frustration with planning, arguing that the Trust had spent a year "trying to turn a field into a field" (SHYCT).

But the Trust's Chairman, Andy Lewis, told Express that the scheme had "the support of the neighbourhood" and expressed frustration over the planning delays.

He explained: "We've essentially spent a year trying to turn a field into a field, as it will still be in agricultural use."

But Mr Lewis added: "We're delighted that we are nearly there and hope that the application is approved."