As Architect you are ever conscious on the one hand aiming to produce good design, on the other on a small island 9x5 miles how much building can it take.
My feelings are sceptical and errs on the safe side, preserve what you've got, that's worth it, on the other hand in an age of climate action regenerate existing before building anew as this accounts for 70% less CO2 emissions. Then the rather thorny issue of how much housing do you need for the population. The following is an interesting alternative calculation that builds in sustainable design by including the existing housing stock, and how this can be improved to avoid building more houses -
Take –
Detached house 10,808 26 29 Semi-detached house 7,990 19 19 Terraced house 4,528
*from the 2011 census and our calculation for the Housing need
Total the first column of existing Housing stock quota ie Detached House, semi detached House and Terraced House = 23,300* existing Houses
* potentially can be extended in comparison with the 4000 new Houses proposed to be built in the next 5 years
Allow 25% increase of the number of existing Houses (given the 10 years since the census was carried out). Round figures is 6000 more Houses ( of the '24,000' houses for the 10 year period) = 30,000 existing Houses in total that can be potentially extended
Given some dwellings not permitting extending/Heritage restrictions/Planning restrictions it could be argued that say 50% of 30,000 houses can be extended* = 15,000** homes
**an estimate at this stage
The calculation in fact interestingly reduces the need to build new houses to zero, except for those on the Housing list. And this would need review to check how many on the list could also extend their homes. Therein reducing the amount of new build housing if done will inevitably eat into the countryside and has considerable merit given the finite land resource of a small island. It does however rely on Islanders funding extensions/regeneration to their homes therein effectively funding sustainable housing policy. The Government would need to consider some grant system if not a Tax break for those that participate.
So how do Developers and Builders feel about the calculation? Does it reduce their profits? As a preliminary comment not at all as there will be considerable work with ‘redeveloping’ the existing stock and existing buildings to convert.
Compare other British territory islands
Bermuda
Bermuda has surprising similarities to Jersey Size – main island 14x1miles Overall area with smaller islands – 20.6 sq miles Population- 70k Green space - limited Pollution (air) - 12 Ug/m3 Environment - Car number restrictions – 1 car p/household
Jersey
Size – 9x5 miles, 45 sq miles Population- 108k, 770 p/sq/km is 3x higher than the Uk Cars – 87 cars p/1000 people Green space –
Building density –30-35 dwelling p/hectare Pollution – air pollution: Jersey breaches EU pollution limits in key places, worst in the UK 42.59Ug.m3 v London – 40.83Ug/m3 Environment - Car population the highest in the western world
Other pollution problems –
For the first time in its history a green sea lettuce appears on the beach in St Aubins bay each summer. Given as high nitrate levels in the water from intensive farming which has increased in the last 10 years when significant levels of immigration has occurred with no Immigration Government policy, a figure of some 10,000 persons.
Hong Kong
Size – 1064 sq miles Population – 7,552,801 *7.6M Building density - >100,000 p/km2 Green space – Parks, 75% is green Pollution – a serious problem, less than 8km for 30% of the year Cars – 76.3 cars p/1000 people
Pollution and air pollution levels are very high as are house prices, the highest in the world. The dynamic of the place seems certainly foolhardy in overriding these factors with a ‘just live with it’ approach.
A second related issue - how much population can a small island take v how much housing, amenity buildings, infrastructure and roads?
There must be some scientific measures for this and one that excludes the need to consider market forces as a starting point. Together with how much traffic there is, and many Islanders feel it’s about full to the brim. In comparison, Bermuda and Hong Kong make worthy comparisons, Bermuda being smaller but making sensible measures for its environment eg limiting car numbers to 1 per household.
Hong Kong dwelling density is the highest in the world, but in fact maintaining its green spaces quite well outside of the main urban style skyrise buildings of the built up area. How many historic buildings & setting did it have though? the enclosed photos indicates it would seem a few. This is a key point in considering historic St Helier, and Jersey's future urban appearance. For Jersey and its topography the car is needed but how many cars/people can the island take? Hong Kong has plenty of public transport to the main city eg. taxis, MTR - (an Underground metro). It also connects Hong Kong Island with outlying islands of Kowloon, the New Territories and Lantau Island, our equivalent of St Helier to St Aubin, Gorey, St Peter Port, Alderney and St Malo – there’s an idea. There’s also buses, minibuses, tramways, we don’t have all this in St Helier as it stands.
Back to the point. We aren't having our hand forced to build more, nor substantially more, market forces or not. Nor to adopt calculations that overlook vital sustainable measure v market forces to a small already crowded island. Further question is how exactly we want to leave it for future generations. The rest i'll leave up to you for your next vote – as perhaps it is the Polls that can help to direct this, in the will of our future politicians.
* Footnote:
In making these observations I do so in my personal capacity, not on behalf of my practice and I would not seek to criticise, the comments in this note are merely observations albeit informed observations. Nothing in the note should be taken as a criticism
Jane Blakeley is Director of JfA:Architects - Jersey, principally a House architect. Jane has strong interest in sustainable design for architecture. She was Remedials Architect to the reknowned Chumbe Island eco tourism project, Zanzibar, East Africa which first inspired her thoughts on sustainable design, how things fit & the remaining space around development. She has more recently for 2021 joined forces with Tectomic Architects, Jelena Tomic has similar focus together they will be exploring sustainable Housing solutions & appropriate development and design
