Positive response to planning changes - minister

Deputy Steve Luce has been Environment Minister since January 2024

Reform to Jersey's planning permission service has received positive feedback, says Environment Minister Deputy Steve Luce.

The key changes made in the last year included upgraded technology for the department, giving pre-application advice to users and the introduction of an industry partnership board, officials said.

The board is made up of architects, developers and construction engineers who meet every two months to discuss changes to the service with senior planning officials.

Luce said feedback has been "hugely positive" despite members of the board being previously critical of the planning application process.

'Marked decline'

The 2025 Planning Services Review progress report, which was led by Jim MacKinnon CBE, the former chief planner to the Scottish government, said there has been a "marked decline" in the number of applications waiting for a decision.

Luce said this was the most important change made to the planning service.

He said staff had worked "hugely hard" to clear the backlog of applications left over since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Discussions with users before applying had reduced the need for multiple submissions, he added.

Luce said: "Recently, we went for two weeks where we did not refuse an application. Every application that was determined was approved.

"So, that's another indication that pre-[application] advice is working really well."

Luce said the majority of planning applications reached a decision "within time".

The planning service aims to determine applications within eight weeks for minor plans and 13 weeks for major ones.

Anyone looking for advice before submitting a minor planning permission request could visit the department's offices in Union Street on weekdays between 10:00 and 14:00, officials said.