Flat plan for parish hall rejected by locals

Residents voted in favour of roof work for St Brelade Parish Hall

People have voted against plans to convert a Jersey parish hall's loft into a flat.

Constable Mike Jackson asked residents during a parish assembly on Tuesday to consider plans to renovate St Brelade Parish Hall on La Neuve Route.

The plans included turning the attic into a one-bedroom flat and replacing the building's roof.

Mr Jackson said residents voted in favour of the roof and repaint work, but went against the flat conversion proposal.

'Terribly expensive'

He said a repaint of the building's exterior, which was two-years overdue, will take place at the same time as the roof work.

Mr Jackson said the flat conversion was set to cost about £300,000 and parishioners voted against it as the cost was "terribly expensive".

"We don't have a lot of money in the parish, despite being a large parish, we don't have surplus funds," he said.

He said it was proposed the work would be funded from a residue from a first-time buyer housing fund but "the assembly felt that wasn't appropriate".

Last month questions were raised over the refurbishment plans for the hall, which had an overall estimated cost of £750,000.

Deputy Montfort Tadier said he thought the parish of St Brelade should consider other ways of solving the area's "housing problem".

Mr Jackson said the plans had received a "mixed reaction" when they were discussed at an earlier meeting with locals.

He said work on the roof will be starting soon.