Every new home to have a parking space

Constable Simon Crowcroft said that current planning guidance meant new homes in St Helier were being built without parking space.

Jersey politicians have voted to approve plans that would mean every new home that is built will have a parking space where practically possible.

The plans were put forward by Constable Simon Crowcroft who argued that current planning guidance was biased against providing parking spaces for new homes in St Helier.

Environment Minister Deputy Steve Luce described the plans as disastrous arguing they would make homes more expensive.

However, States members supported Crowcroft's proposition with 26 voting for them and 11 voting against.

"We are seeing properties being built all the time, especially in St Helier where a total rebuild is happening," Crowcroft said.

"But we have seen one in today's paper where only fourteen spaces are being provided for twice that number of units.

"That means at least half the people who live in those properties won't be able to own a motor car and I think it's a basic thing that people expect particularly living in town."

The plans are not limited to St Helier but Mr Crowcroft said car ownership was not supported by planning guidance for the town, which sets no minimum levels of parking provision for developments there.

"It actually allows a developer to build in the centre of town and not provide any parking at all and I think that's a mistake," he said.

"On the St Helier roads committee we regularly see applications where developers say we don't have to provide parking so lets save some costs and lets not provide people in St Helier with parking."

Environment minister, Deputy Steve Luce said the plans were a disaster

There was strong opposition to the plans, including from Deputy Luce who said they would make homes more expensive.

"I think it's a disaster for many reasons, for the development industry this would be a challenge for them at a time when the industry is in crisis," he said.

"A lot of sites are being developed at the moment and this proposition would make it even more difficult for the development industry because of the required extra expenditure they would have to put out.

"This proposition will make homes less affordable."