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Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider ContextMarch 2018

02/03Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider Context

Charette 3 was held in January 2018 with a combined group of local community members and key stakeholders to look in more detail at the Design Principles for the Esplanade Quarter and its wider context. They also worked together to develop an ongoing process for engagement of the wider community. The emerging vision and principles for the area developed by the local community and key stakeholders at the charrette are summarised in this report.

Stakeholders continue to highlight the importance of engagement with local community members and key stakeholders throughout the process of planning and development of the South-west St Helier area. Design Council is pleased to continue to be engaged in the process and looks forward to future engagement with States of Jersey and the St Helier community to help create a ‘world class’ place.

Design Council is a charity, and is recognised as a leading authority on using strategic design as a tool to tackle major societal challenges, drive economic growth and innovation, and improve the quality of the built environment. It advises the UK government on design.

Jersey Waterfront Development Frameworks https://www.gov.je/PlanningBuilding/LawsRegs/IslandPlan/PlansFrameworks/Pages/WaterfrontDevelopmentFramework.aspx

This document summarises the feedback from Design Charrette 3: a public meeting on Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter and its relationship to the waterfront and historic town of St. Helier. Design Charrette 3 was an open and engaging session with local community members and key stakeholders in St. Helier.

It follows on from independent reviews of the current 2011 masterplan and two design charrettes on re-envisioning the Esplanade Quarter in November 2017 by Design Council through the work of the States of Jersey Design Panel. Charrette 1 was held with local stakeholder groups and community members; Charrette 2 involved key government ministers, the States of Jersey Development Corporation and the Ports Authority. The outcomes of these workshops are summarised in two reports and available to the public.

Key Design Council recommendations based on discussions at Charrettes 1 & 2 were to:

01. Engage the community and key stakeholders in the design process through workshops and meetings as the proposal for the Esplanade Quarter evolves

02. Develop a communication strategy to provide regular updates to the community through newsletters and social media

03. Allow the Esplanade Quarter masterplan to be informed by its relationship to the wider context

04. Focus on connectivity across the site by pedestrians and cyclists

05. Enable strategic changes of the current masterplan to deliver a world class place

06. Recreate La Route de la Liberation as a boulevard by narrowing the highway introducing significant greenery allowing pedestrian facilities

Introduction

The day commenced with a presentation from the members of the States of Jersey Design Advice Panel. The presentation included a summary of feedback from the previous charrettes, a reminder of examples of relevant schemes in other locations, and key thoughts on transport and movement.

The presentation was followed by a key update from the States of Jersey which included a summary of the proposed steps by the Department of the Environment to make the Esplanade Quarter and surrounding area a more attractive, safe and enjoyable new neighbourhood in St. Helier.

The States of Jersey proposed key next steps to reimagine the Esplanade Quarter as follows:

i) De-adopt the 2008 Masterplanii) Adopt an interim framework document covering

South-West St Helier. iii) Establish a community engagement strategy

These steps are also informed by Design Council’s key recommendations from prior review sessions regarding the Esplanade Quarter.

Summary

The event

Charrette 3 was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in St. Helier over the course of one day and was well-attended by over 30 people. A wide variety of attendees were present, many of whom attended the previous charrettes in November 2017.

Attendees included:• local amenity groups• local residents• private business owners• interested individuals• the States of Jersey Development Corporation • the Ports of Jersey

A full list of attendees can be found in the Appendix of this report.

The programme – outline and objectives

Charrette 3 built upon key principles from the Design Charrettes 1 & 2 held in November 2017. These principles included:

• Creating a world class urban quarter• Providing a mix of uses in addition to the

financial services• Improving walking and cycling routes• Looking beyond the red line boundary of the site• Improving the current character of La Route de

la Liberation.

Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider Context

In order to deliver this vision there was general agreement on the process and governance required to move forward:

• The vision and future development plans for South-West St Helier should go beyond the red-line boundary of the current Esplanade Quarter site. The area should incorporate the waterfront, harbour, Les Jardins de la Mer and more of the La Route de la Liberation to the east and the west

• In order to deliver a wider vision for South-West St Helier and key sites within it, the current 2011 Esplanade Quarter area masterplan should be de-adopted

• An appropriate community engagement strategy is urgently needed to ensure that local community and key stakeholders continue to be engaged in planning the future of St. Helier. There is an opportunity to continue the momentum and openness established by this series of charrettes through strategic engagement with the States of Jersey and local engagement within parishes and through elected representatives.

To achieve these goals, there seemed to be broad consensus from the local community and key stakeholder groups on the States of Jersey’s proposed next steps: to de-adopt the current 2008 masterplan, and to create of a strategy for South-West St Helier and a community engagement strategy.

Key recommendations

Based on group discussions and feedback to the wider group of stakeholders, there was general consensus that the area located to the south-west of the current Esplanade Quarter site, including the site itself, presents a major opportunity for the States of Jersey to create a new world class district for St Helier. There was general agreement by the participants on the day on the following points for the vision for the area:

• Sustainability and the future of St Helier should be a key consideration, particularly in terms of climate change and changes in modes of transport such as driverless cars. Protection of the town from the natural elements is important, particularly from the south-west coastal area.

• The district should include a mix of uses - business, leisure and residential uses, and local amenities - to ensure that it is lively and makes effective use of the space. Financial services are important to this district to help support Jersey’s economy.

• A place that has its own identity in St Helier to help build the character of the town and complement, and not compete with, the historic core. The waterfront and harbour, and sites within the States of Jersey Development Corporation ownership are key to this vision and sense of place.

• The creation of a ‘slow town’ quarter whereby people feel safe and comfortable using and walking and cycling through the neighbourhood, with greater social interactions and opportunities to enjoy open spaces and activities.

• La Route de la Liberation plays a key role in the South-West of St Helier and is currently and unattractive and inhospitable place for pedestrians and cyclists. Therefore strategic steps should be taken to improve this route which works with the rest of South-West St Helier.

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07. Cycling and Walking The South-West region could feel much more integrated and function more effectively as a place with better walking and cycling routes. These routes could connect with the wider historic town to help ensure better and safer flows for locals and visitors.

08. Integrating car parking Car parking could be sensitively integrated within the south-west region to ensure that the area feels pedestrian-friendly and not overly traffic dominated. In developing the South-West region strategy, car parking across the sites could be considered more holistically. Members of the groups also suggested that transport and movement strategies are likely to change in the near future due to automated vehicles, which should be considered at this stage.

09. Incorporating the beach One of the main attractions of the South-West region and St. Helier is the beach and waterfront. Making this natural asset more visible and accessible is likely to benefit both the character and economy of the area.

10. Future of the port A stronger link from the port in St Helier could be made through the South-West region. This link could be stronger physically in terms of views and routes to the port and shared leisure, business and commerce facilities. The link could also be visual and conceptual in how the place looks, feels and operates with the existing and new uses in the south-west region.

Opportunities01. Fresh start To look at the South-West area afresh and create a more coherent and attractive new place for leisure, commerce, tourism and living

02. Long term vision based on sound principles This region could be planned and designed to deliver long term objectives to ensure Jersey’s economic, social and environmental sustainability in the future.

03. Build homes and offices New homes and offices are needed to support the population and provide jobs. They could help to support the financial services and activate the public spaces.

04. Interesting temporary interventions As South-West St Helier is developed over time, a strong sense of place, community and commerce could be developed with the help of ‘meanwhile uses’ and activities such as pop-up markets and urban farming.

05. “Perimeter Park” The edges alongside the coast could be a stronger attraction and amenity for the local community, tourists and employees in the South-West region. A continuous pedestrian route with greenery would help to accentuate this key feature of St Helier.

06. Places for shelter Along these routes and the south-west region as a whole, places for shelter will help to encourage walking, cycling and outdoor activities. They will also help to facilitate all age groups and physical capabilities, particularly the young children and the elderly.

Session 1 – Opportunities and Constraints

05. La Route de la Liberation This road acts as a major constraint to the success of the south-west region as a new and joined-up district. The strategy needs to consider ways to incorporate the road to ensure it meets the needs of the different types of users, specially pedestrians and cyclists.

06. Contamination Contamination along the waterfront could greatly restrict the vision for a lively, world class new neighbourhood, particularly in terms of cost and construction.

07. Future of the Port The functional operations of the port, such as cargo, are key considerations in the delivery of the south-west region.

08. Segregated plans and insular sites The existing sites in the South-West region currently feel segregated and seem to lack a connection with the town centre. A more joined-up approach is needed between the South-West region and the town centre.

09. Parking Private car usage is high in Jersey, and therefore St Helier faces key constraints in terms of car parking. The South-West strategy should consider ways to address these issues, particularly as key sites such as the Esplanade Quarter is currently used as a car park.

Opportunities and constraints

The groups felt that there is great potential for the future of the island in creating a holistic proposal for South-West St Helier (including the Esplanade Quarter, the waterfront and harbour, Les Jardins de la Mer and La Route de la Liberation). The opportunities and constraints were identified through the discussions, and suggestions for a strategy to guide the area emerged.

Constraints01. Lack of consensus The ability to create a holistic plan for the South-West region can be constrained by the lack of consensus between local community members, key stakeholders, landholders and the States of Jersey.

02. Lack of vision The South-West region requires a big vision which meets the operational criteria of these parties and which they can buy into. Therefore, these parties must be able to share in the development and delivery of this big vision and work together to realise it.

03. Lack of understanding A big vision for the South-West region would require a rounded understanding of the issues facing St. Helier and Jersey as a whole. For example, ocal issues such as population and business growth, and international issues such as the global finance industry.

04. Exposure of site The South-West region is exposed to the coast which makes it vulnerable to environmental factors such as high wind speeds and flooding. The South- West region should do all it can to protect the inland areas from environmental concerns.

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Context• Carefully frame views to create panoramas

and glimpses• Provide streets and squares• Shelter the streets and open spaces from

the environment• Consider the impact on businesses in the

wider town centre

The sustainability group supported the concept of an extended site to include the waterfront. The team considered five C’s to help frame the development of key design principles for the south west area – context, character, connectivity, climate, community:

Each group reviewed opportunities and constraints within their theme, identified potential sites and projects and drafted design principles for South-West St Helier.

The key themes below were explored through four separate group discussions at Charette 3:

01. Sustainability02. Movement and transport03. Urban design and placemaking04. Community engagement

01. SustainabilitySession 2 – Key themes

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Connectivity• Develop a movement strategy policy to help

provide transport and movement alternatives• Re-connect the South-West area and town

centre with the sea• Creating a circular walking route along

the waterfront• Investigate a bridge across the water in

key locations to provide continuous walking and cycling routes along the waterfront

• Prioritise walking and cycling, and public transport

Climate• Consider a sustainable district heating

system and solar energy• Establish environmental requirements

for buildings• Incorporate flooding defence systems and

drainage sustainable urban drainage• Carry out ecological assessments on

proposed buildings and public realm schemes

Community• Create a hub for the whole community from

different economic, cultural and social backgrounds

• Provide necessary community uses• Integrate uses that act as a destination• Create places where people can interact and

engage with one another• Incorporate community uses, such as

urban farming• Promote sustainability principles: reduce,

reuse, recycle

Character• Provide creative pop-up events and uses

during the development and delivery of the South-West region

• Celebrate the difference of the South-West area from St Helier town centre

• Create finer grain buildings to better reflect the scale of St Helier

• Provide more opportunities to experience the waterfront

• Create a place that has its own community and identity

• Provide homes for a growing population• Embed the principles of healthy placemaking• Design for multifaceted use for a diverse

local economy• Think about the long-term vision in the short-

term approach, for example, the viability of the area and greening

• Create places for outdoor activities, such as outdoor teaching areas along the coast

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• To look at the communication of the vision, acknowledging the need for champions to promote a change of transport culture.

• To promote continuous and activated walking and cycling routes with facilities, such as cafes, seats etc.

• The need for quick wins with regard to walking and cycling.

• To safely accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, segregating modes where necessary

• To provide an at grade crossing across La Route de la Liberation which could be wider than a bridge, landscaped with views looking to the sea, and for use by pedestrians and cyclists. The experience of being in an underpass was a concern.

The group agreed with the principle of prioritising cycling, walking and public transport which will help to improve the traffic dominated environment. The group’s recommendations include:

Access• The need for better crossings and routes for

pedestrians and better cycling routes. Clear and pleasant routes could make these modes possibly faster and pleasant, and cheaper than using the car for work.

• To establish the extent of political and community support for a pedestrian and cycling friendly approach. Without support, the vision would be difficult to achieve.

04. Medium rise buildings fronting the sea to provide shelterThe group members considered the exposure of the site to the onshore winds. It was mentioned that Les Jardins de la Mer was “turning into a sand dune”, indicating its exposed and unnatural location. It was felt that an important first move would be to create a traditional, continuous frontage of medium rise (4/5 storeys) buildings along the sea front facing east. To achieve this goal, these buildings could even be built on part of the land currently occupied by Les Jardins de la Mer. The buildings could help to shelter the site and create a greater sense of enclosure with fine grain streets and public spaces deeper into the site.

05. Outside family spaceFamily friendly green and hard spaces away from the sea front could also be incorporated. Parking should be located on parts of the site that are not well used.

06. Work with local businesses Within the new development, local retail and food businesses could be subsidised and supported through reduced rents to ensure full units and encourage local enterprise and services to create an area of unique character.

07. Harbour trailA new waterfront trail should be created and facilitated by constructing a potential footbridge over the harbour entrance adjacent to the Radisson.

The group proposed the following design principles:

01. “Slow town” St HelierThe group developed the concept of Slow Town St Helier where quality of life and environment is key. The members felt that La Route de la Liberation is currently an unfriendly, fast traffic thoroughfare through the site and should be a greener, slower urban street with buildings fronting onto it with active ground floor uses.

02. Greening and slowing of Rue de LiberationThe street should have pedestrian and cycle crossing linking to the town centre along its length and in particular at the junction with Gloucester Street and The Esplanade. At this junction a high quality shared surface approach should be tested. In general, traffic entering town centre could be calmed at the eastern gateway, for example from St Aubin’s Road and to the west at the tunnel.

03. Mixed use, fine grain urban quarterOther teams identified the importance of a mixed community feel to attract people to the site and create a sense of connectedness. Some felt that the architecture could be more distinctive to St Helier, particularly as the buildings in the financial centre appears like ‘anywhere architecture’.

02. Movement and Transport

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• The need for ways to enhance, through the quality of buildings and spaces, the waterside experience for all, including tourists arriving by ferry.

• The need for clarity on development fixes and short or longer-term opportunities. A phased approach with quick wins and then more substantial improvements were considered to be the most suitable approach.

• The opportunity to develop and enhance the current swimming pool and leisure complex site was as a clear entrance to the waterside from the town.

• Ways to improve the use and character of the existing harbours and their relationship to the escarpment to the east, Les Jardins de la Mer to the west and the entrance to the South-West area.

• To maximise on streets as “networks, not corridors”. Ferry traffic and freight transportation were considered to be potential issues.

• To consider the hierarchy of traffic movements, for example peak hours and the school-run.

• To consider ways to integrate new methods and smart technologies in transport and movement.

Uses• The need to assess car parking in St Helier:

where people come from to use them, affordability of car parkers and actual usage of these car parks.

• The need for adequate alternatives to car parking.

• The need to prioritise public transport, acknowledging that this mode of transport should be reliable and feasible.

• The need for a mix of residential and non-residential uses.

Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider Context

• Use the streets and spaces to frame panoramas and offer glimpsed views.

• Create connections to help enhance activity• Address the car parking issues, for example,

by providing a major car park (potentially underground) and then limiting vehicular access to the main streets and spaces.

• Maximise on the green and blue landscape rather than hard urban spaces

• Explore how the waterfront and beach facilities could be improved and potentially brought into the site whilst addressing issues of contaminated land around harbour

• Consider the inclusion of urban forests and areas with denser tree planting

The group recommended further consideration of the feasibility and benefits of relocating the ferry terminal as part of an understanding of the potential role of the area in the economy of the island. They highlighted the need to pause and think about the economy going forward and consider the current and future scale and demand. Continued dialogue with the community and key stakeholders in the formation of any plans was thought to be important.

The groups thought that the South-West region should be a new self-contained quarter that has its own identity and is a destination for everybody.

The key design principles that emerged were to:• Create a place that focuses on the local

community with uses and spaces that are also destinations.

• Incorporate open spaces and uses that act as the focal points and lead the design.

• Provide spaces to dwell through a better mix of uses including housing

• Enhance the cultural variety to enhance St Helier • Provide for families and young people – under 20s• Create finer grain spaces and buildings which

reflect the urban grain of the town centre. The group felt that bigger buildings would undermine the neighbourhood look and feel of the south-west area.

• Raise the La Route de la Liberation to ground level. The group felt that the traffic should be calmed to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross safely and easily.

• Focus on the pedestrian in the design of streets, squares and sheltered zones

03. Urban Design and Placemaking

Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider Context

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Issues• Some members of the group felt that the States

of Jersey and parishes were disconnected from the local engagement process and that existing engagement felt top-down.

• Lack of joined up thinking between the local community, key stakeholders and the States of Jersey. Silo-ed governmental departments were also identified as a potential issue.

• Need for more creative engagement and forum to help target hard to reach communities. However, community engagement typically involves the minority

• Growth driven by largely by commerciality and lack of studies to justify the supply and demand for office space

• The limitations of some forms of engagement, for example, questions in surveys

• Differences between community viewpoints on the South-West region, for example, older community are generally less keen on change

The Community Engagement group considered the short and long-term aims, current issues and suggestions to engage the community in the development of the South-West strategy.

Aims• To maximise the opportunity to engage with

the local community on the development of the South-West region

• To promote on-going dialogue with the community members and key stakeholders

• To provide engage and encourage the growth of local businesses

• To apply key engagement principles to all modes of communication: consistency, clarity and relevance

• To utilise existing communication avenues such as the Jersey Action Group, Parish Magazine

• To engage with a range of users, including tourists• To promote active and passive engagement • To engage with both traditional media and

social media

04. Community engagement

Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider Context

• Create one online platform for engaging with the local community about the South-West region to include updates from the Ports Authority and the States of Jersey Development Corporation.

• Explore the benefits of an identity/brand for the South-West region which could be used for the online platform. An existing or new brand for the area could be developed.

• Create an engagement strategy that meets the needs of all users - active to passive and young to old:

Suggestions• Make better use of the existing communication

strategies: – The current States of Jersey website for

updates: www.aptivism.je – Parish of St Helier – Future of St Helier Group

Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider Context

• Explore meanwhile uses to help engage with the community

– Outdoor activities such as skateboarding and trampolining

– Big open space events• Explore the creation of a South-West region forum

to engage the local community, key stakeholders and the States of Jersey in key decisions. This forum should be created by the States of Jersey and comprise of:

– 50% Board Members – 50% Community MembersThe forum should include:• Parish• States of Jersey• Community• Key stakeholders

Active • Websites • Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin) • Phone application • augmented reality / 3d

modelPassive • Feedback forms • Signage • Radio • Newspapers • TV ads/radio • Leaflets • Signage • Consider ways in which information could be

filtered based on user preferences, for example push notifications

Reimagining the Esplanade Quarter: Design Principles and Wider Context