Parkinson Drive is in the Built-up Area of the Island Plan 2011 where there is a presumption in favour of building to accommodate housing demand and to increase housing density. The Client is The Jersey Homes Trust, a recognised social housing provider for large numbers of tenants in the Island, held in high regard. The proposal responds to an imperative to make the most efficient use of land. In particular, the addition of three housing units on a parcel of land in the Built up Area, which has all mains services, adds to the Island’s social housing stock in a location giving easy access to employment in the town centre, at a distance easily accessible by cycle, not beyond walking distance and well served by main bus routes, enjoying facilities of the nearby park and beach and reduces pressure to build equivalent accommodation on green-field land.
The proposed houses are of a form with minimum external envelope, well insulated and thus requiring minimum energy for heating. During the winter and shoulder months, East-west orientation provides for warming by solar gain through east facing windows in the mornings but prevents overheating from southern aspect in the middle of the day.
Placing three new houses on the site, together with the refurbished and extended houses Nos 1-7 realise an opportunity to secure a higher and more resource efficiency in terms of density of development and re-use of existing land and buildings and energy conservation.
