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Campaigners angry at tree and wildlife destruction

Environmental campaigners in Jersey say they're furious trees and shrubs have been removed from a St Helier car park to make way for a new financial centre.

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Finance Centre building work to start in May

Plans for the new Jersey International Finance Centre

ITV News can reveal building work on the first building in the Jersey International Finance Centre could begin with the next three months.

Talks between the Jersey Development Company and a major tenant to occupy the first building on the Esplanade site are at an advanced stage, with a contract due to be signed in the next four weeks.

We understand the financial industry firm is an existing company in Jersey wanting to move out of its current office site and into the new "grade A" space being planned in St Helier.

We're hoping that we can begin construction on this building in May/June time of this year and we'll be looking for that building to be completed in early 2017.

– Lee Henry, Jersey Development Company

Jersey Development Company accused of ignoring the States

Plans for the island's financial centre

A Jersey politician is accusing the Jersey Development Company of going against the wishes of the government by beginning work on the island's financial centre.

The developers have begun clearing trees and shrubs on the Esplanade car park.

But Deputy Jackie Hilton says that work should only happen when a major tenant has been found to move into the first of the proposed new buildings.

Some people might think well what does it matter if a colony of birds disappear or some rabbits lose their lives because there are a colony of rabbits down here.

But as I said, it does matter, I come back to the point the pre-lets aren't in place, and the public of Jersey feel that they should stand by the decision that was made by the States assembly in 2008.

– Deputy Jackie Hilton

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Campaigners angry at tree and wildlife destruction

Environmental campaigners in Jersey say they're furious trees and shrubs have been removed from a St Helier car park to make way for a new financial centre.

The activists, led by green-group SOS Jersey, say the work on the Esplanade in St Heliershould not be allowed to happen.

They accuse the Jersey Development Company (JDC) of breaking planning rules by carrying out the work - something the JDC deny.

Today the Environment Department confirmed the work is legal.

Dave Cabeldu from SOS Jersey wants more islanders to protest:

If this was Guernsey, this car park would be full of people on the weekend waving banners, but this is Jersey.

The thing is people by and large are happy enough, they go about their business, they think 'oh a building's coming down', and that's why a lot of these things happen. They happen by stealth.

– Dave Cabeldu

Jersey shoreline protection campaigners angry over tree removal at the Esplanade

Shoreline protection campaigners and some St Helier Deputies are angry that trees have been cleared at the Esplanade Car park.

Work to remove vegetation at the site of the future Finance Centre is underway.

Some people are angry that the trees are being removed without a start date for the project.

However the States Environment Department has refuted the claims saying the removal of the trees is related to a separate planning application that has already been approved.

The removal of the trees and shrubs carried out by the States of Jersey Development Company (SoJDC) relates to the planning permission for building no. 4 on the Esplanade Quarter site, which was approved in August 2013. This work is not related to the current planning application for building no. 5 which has not yet been determined.

The planning permission for building no. 4 allowed for the construction of a temporary car park (south of the underpass) on which work has commenced, with the full agreement of Planning and Building Services.

The recent removal of the trees and shrubs on the Esplanade car park was accepted as part of the planning permission for building no.4. Whilst the department has not agreed final replacement landscape details with SoJDC, it accepts that the removal of the current planting accords with the planning permission.

Whilst it has been claimed that some wildlife has been removed from the site the department is not aware of any breaches of the Wildlife (Jersey) Law 2000.

– Department of the Environment statement
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