ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

strategic context
1 Introduction
This chapter reviews the performance and prospects of the Jersey
economy, and explores the implications for the spatial developmentof St Helier. The chapter is based on official statistics and reports
published by the States of Jersey, a number of secondary sources,
and a series of consultations with civil servants, other officials andbusiness organisations.
This chapter does not pretend to be a comprehensive review of
the Jersey economy, which would be beyond the scope of ourremit. However, it aims to provide the essential context for the
Urban Character Appraisal and the subsequent development ofpolicy formulation, urban design strategies and action area plans
which will aid the process of preserving and enhancing St Helier. In
particular it explores the concept of place competitiveness and therole of the town in promoting economic growth and diversification,
especially in the financial services and tourism industries.

2 The Jersey Economy
Population1
The population of Jersey increased by 3,100 (+4%) between 1991
and 2001, from 84,086 to 87,186. The bulk of this increase (81%) is
attributable to natural growth, with the remainder (19%) due to net
migration.
Migration patterns fluctuated through the 1990s (Fig 2.1):• there was net out-migration in 1991-92 and again in 1999-2001• there was net in-migration between 1993 and 1998
Figure 2.1: Net migration flows, Jersey 1991-2002

The chapter is in 6 sections:
Section 2 contains a summary of key data on the Jersey economy
Section 3 contains a review of the St Helier property market
Section 4 reviews the emerging policy agenda
Section 5 is an assessment of the place competitiveness of St
HelierSection 6 reviews implications for the future development of St
HelierNew waterfront residential development from Pier RoadFig 2.2 shows the age structure of the Jersey population in 2001,
compared with GB. The age structure of Jersey is broadly similar
to GB, but the island has a higher proportion of working age
residents2.
Figure 2.2: Age structure, Jersey and UK 2001

OCTOBER 2005 | WILLIE MILLER URBAN DESIGN|Fig 2.3 shows the geographical distribution of population between
the Parish of St Helier and the rest of the island, in 1991 and 2001.
It shows that:

Figure 2.4: Economic activity rates, Jersey and GB 2002•

St Helier retained a 33% share of the population between 1991
and 2001

StatusJerseyJersey UK%•

the wider urban area (including the parishes of St Saviour and
St Clement) accounts for about 56% of the population of theislandEconomically active (%working age population)

46,58682%

79%

Economically active (%working age men)

25,41387%

84%

Economically active (%working age women)

21,17376%

73%% of those in employment as employees

40,37087%

84%% of those in employment who are self-employed

5,205

12%

11%
5%

Figure 2.3: Geographical distribution of population, Jersey 1991 and 2001
1991
Population% 1991
Population

2001
Population% 2001
Population

St Helier

28,12333%

28,31033%

St Clement

7,393

9%

8,196

9%

%

Economically active:ILO Unemployment Rate

1,011

2%

Sub Total

46,586

100% 100%

St Saviour

12,74715%

12,491

14%

St Brelade

9,331

11%

10,134

12%

Economically inactive

10,42718%

Grouville

4,297

5%

4,702

5%

Total working age population

57,103

100% 100%

St Lawrence

4,561

5%

4,702

5%

St Peter

4,231

5%

4,293

5%

St Martin

3,258

4%

3,628

4%

Employment

St John

2,440

3%

2,618

3%

St Ouen

3,612

4%

3,803

4%

St Mary

1,449

2%

1,591

2%

Employment in Jersey is subject to marked seasonal variations,especially for jobs in hotels, restaurants, bars and agriculture.
Figure 2.5 tracks the annual mean average level of employment on
the island from 1998 to 2002 4:

Trinity

2,640

3%

2,718

3%

Total

84,082100%

87,186100%

Economic Activity Rate
Figure 2.4 compares economic activity rates in Jersey and GB3.
Jersey has a working age population of 57,013:

22%

Figure 2.5: Annual mean average employment, Jersey 1998-2002
1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

June

48,15047,45047,58047,55047,400December

43,32042,29043,77043,98044,100

45735

44870

45675

45765

45750

Total Employment

the proportion of the population that is of working age ishigher (65%) than in GB (61%)

Mean Average

82% of the working age population is economically active,
higher than in the GB (79%): activity rates for both men andwomen are above the GB level

87% of the economically active population are employees (GB84%),12% are self-employed (GB 11%)

The mean average level of employment remained steady at around45,750 from 1998 to 2002. However, the number of registered
unemployed rose sharply (albeit from a very low base) in 2003,
from 230 to 640.

2% of the economically active population are seeking work,
less than half the GB rate (5%)

10 |

ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

Employment by Industry
Figure 2.6 shows the share of employment by industry in Jersey in June
2002:

Industry

the public sector, but a decline in traditional industries, especially
hotels, restaurants and bars (-15%) and agriculture (-9%). Since
these figures were compiled there has also been a significant shakeout in the financial services sector.

Employees

Share

Agriculture and fishing

2,180

4.60%

Manufacturing

2,300

4.90%

Construction/quarrying

4,930

10.40%

Agriculture and fishing-9.20%

Electricity, gas, water

580

1.20%

Manufacturing-3.40%

Wholesale and retail

8,050

17.00%

Construction/quarrying-8.60%

Hotels, restaurants, bars

6,560

13.80%

Electricity, gas, water-4.90%

Transport, storage, communications

2,760

5.80%

Wholesale and retail-2.70%

Computer and related activities

440

0.90%

Hotels, restaurants, bars

-14.70%Financial and legal activities

12,30025.90%

Computer and related activities

57.10%

Miscellaneous business activities

2,820

5.90%

Financial and legal activities

6.00%

Education, health, other services

4,480

9.50%

Miscellaneous business activities

6.80%

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT

47,400100%

Education, health, other services

6.70%

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT

0.10%

Figure 2.7: Change in employment by industry, Jersey 1999-2002 (June)

Industry

Change1999-2002

The top three industries by employment are:financial and legal services (26%)
wholesale/retail (17%)
hotels, restaurants and bars (14%)

It is notable that all three industries depend heavily on employment
in St Helier:financial, legal and associated activities are concentrated
almost exclusively in the capital
St Helier is the only significant retail centre, and the wholesaletrade is also concentrated in the town, especially the port area
tourism related employment is distributed more widely acrossthe island, but there is still a concentration of accommodationand (especially) restaurants and bars in the urban centre.

Agriculture, often described as the island’s “third industry” after
finance and tourism, has been in long-term decline and now
accounts for less than 5% of jobs. In the three years to June 2002,
total employment in Jersey was almost unchanged, but there weresome significant shifts by industry. Figure 2.7 shows that there
was strong growth in finance, business and other services and
OCTOBER 2005 | WILLIE MILLER URBAN DESIGN|

11

Industry Contribution to GDP

Employment by Occupation

Figure 2.8 shows the estimated contribution of each industry
group to Jersey’s GDP in 20025. It reflects the huge contributionof financial services, which account for 55.9% of GDP, ten times asmuch as hotels, restaurants and catering. GDP per employee in the
sector is twice the island average.

Figure 2.10 shows the breakdown of employment in Jersey byoccupation, compared with Great Britain.6 It shows that, comparedwith GB:
Jersey has a relatively high proportion of employees inmanagerial and administrative occupations and skilled trades…and a relatively low proportion of professionals and people
working in service, process and elementary occupations.

Figure 2.8: Contribution to GDP by industry, Jersey 2002

Industry

Share

Agriculture and fishing

1.30%

Manufacturing

1.60%

Construction/quarrying

6.60%

Electricity, gas, water

1.50%

Wholesale and retail

9.70%

Hotels, restaurants, catering

5.60%

Transport, storage, communications

4.30%

Computer and related activities

0.5

Financial and legal activities
Miscellaneous business activities

Figure 2.10: Employment by occupation, Jersey and GB, 2002
Occupation

% of

% of

JerseyGB employment

employment
16%

13%

Professional occupations

6%

12%

Assoc professional/technical

14%

13%

Admin/secretarial

19%

14%

Skilled trades

15%

10%

55.9

Personal services

6%

7%

2.9

Sales/customer services

6%

9%

Education, health, other services

10.5

Process, plant, machinery operatives

5%

9%

TOTAL EMPLOYMENT

100%

Elementary occupations

13%

13%

TOTAL

100%

100%

Figure 2.9 gives a more detailed breakdown of the contribution
to GDP of the financial services cluster. It shows that the cluster
is dominated by banks and building societies (72% of the total),followed by investment trusts/fund management (17%) and legal/
accountancy services (10%).
Figure 2.9: Share of financial services output by activity, Jersey 2002
Industry

Share

Banks and building societies

71.80%

Insurance

0.90%

Investment trusts/fund managers

16.60%

Legal services

5.20%

Accountancy services

4.80%

CLUSTER TOTAL

100%

12 |

Managers/senior officials

Market Stall

ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

Conclusion
This review has shown that Jersey has a highly specialised
economy, with an exceptionally high dependency on the financial
services cluster, which accounts for more than a quarter of direct
employment (as well as substantial indirect employment) andmore than half of the island’s GDP.
By contrast, the other industries traditionally associated with
the island, tourism and agriculture, have experienced long-term
decline.
Overall, employment has been static for some years, although
recent job losses in the financial services sector and, latterly, thepublic sector may be reflected in the statistics for 2003-04.
Although no employment data are available for St Helier, it is clearthat the town plays a pre-eminent role in the island economy. In
particular:

it is the home of the financial services cluster, and almost all
the principal firms operate from town centre locations

the town centre is the principal point of entry for visitors to theisland and a key asset for the tourism industry, with attractive
shopping and an improving leisure and recreation offer.

above: Maritime Museum

below: King Street

OCTOBER 2005 | WILLIE MILLER URBAN DESIGN|13

3

The St Helier Property Market

This market review considers the following property sectors in St
Helier:

residential
officeretailResidential
St Helier’s residential market is based upon an unusual household
structure. Of 35,562 households in Jersey, only 51% are owneroccupied. In St Helier, the figure falls to 34% owner-occupied. Twothirds of homes in St Helier are private or social rented stock, tiedhousing or lodgings. A substantial itinerant working population andresidency restrictions lead to high levels of renting.
The Jersey Island Plan sets out estimates of residential demand
for the period 2002-2006. These suggest a requirement of 3,180
homes for the qualified sector and 1,610 for the unqualified sector.
The Plan assumes that the latter can be accommodated throughvarious market adjustments and sets out to provide for 90% of thequalified requirement (2,860 units). Allocated sites7 might deliver
1,990 units, leaving a shortfall of 870 units to be accommodated
in eleven new sites. Meeting this housing requirement will mean
moving from an historic (1987-99) development rate of 353 units
per annum to a new rate of 572 per annum, a substantial rise of62%.
An historic shortage of housing supply combined with high average
incomes has resulted in high house prices. The Jersey Island Plan
estimates that 74% of households will require an “affordable”
home rather than being able to pay full market value. New flatted
developments8 within the town are selling at £2,750 - £3,750
per sq m, equivalent to major UK centres such as Manchesteror Edinburgh. Dedicated parking incurs an additional cost to
the purchaser. High purchase prices are driven in part by theinvestment opportunity to rent quality apartments to itinerant(and residentially unqualified) professionals. Such prices suggestthat flatted development will continue to out-price commercial
development for prime gap sites in St Helier for the foreseeable
future.
One source of new and windfall residential development is the
traditional hotels sector. Due to declining visitor numbers, thenumber of hotel beds fell by 7,500 (27%) between 1980 and 19999.
A further 1,600 beds were lost during 2000 and nine St Helier
hotels announced closures during 2001.
14 |The largest new residential location is St Helier Waterfront10. Fourhousing areas – Harbour, Marine Village, Seafront and Esplanade– will provide a total of 700 units, mainly for locally qualified
residents but also for first-time buyers and for rent. The first phase
comprises the £30 million development of 153 first-time buyer andrental flats at Albert Pier/ Victoria Place.
New waterfront residential development

ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

Offices
The Jersey Island Plan notes demand for larger, modern and more
flexible offices in St Helier, particularly from financial services
companies. There is also demand from smaller companies in thesecondary office market. The rate of office development 1987-99
was 5,600 sq m. per annum and the new Plan assumes a similar
rate. On this basis, planning permissions and offices underconstruction provide for a ten-year supply of new premises.

financial services centres such as Bristol and Edinburgh. In the
major financial centre of London, office rents have actually fallen.
New office developments

Since 1987, around half of office development in St Helier has takenplace inside the ring road but outside of the area zoned for officedevelopment. Coincidentally, UK planning legislation permitting
Class 4 office development out of town also emerged in 1987,
since when there has been substantial demand from office-based
companies for off-centre locations. The new Plan allows for somenew office development outwith the town centre, specifically at
Waterfront north and other identified sites.
Occupational analysis11 suggests that perhaps 40% of Jersey’s
employment is in office-based sectors. It is possible from thisto estimate12 that the island’s total office stock may be around
300,000 sq m. For comparison, local agents suggest that theisland’s office stock may be around 370,000 sq m. The large
majority of this space is in St Helier, making the town’s officesector comparable in size to large UK towns.
Demand for office accommodation in St Helier is reportedly around
10,000 sq m per annum13. The typical new building is around2,000 – 4,000 sq m, so in a typical year 2-3 new-build transactions
plus some second hand activity would be expected.
Recent market activity has been limited. In 2002 HSBC took a
pre-let of the 5,000 sq m Century Buildings to consolidate its
operations14. In 2001, Close Properties took offices at 55 Esplanadeat £280 per sq m. Earlier deals on the Esplanade include number
45 (to KPMG) and 47 (to OBD) in 1998 at rentals of £260 per sq
m. More recently, new office buildings at Casa Melita (3,000 sq m)
and Charter Place (3,300 sq m) have struggled to find occupiers.
In total around 20,000 sq m. of office accommodation was on
the market in St Helier in late 2003. This is a significant supply inhistoric terms, but still represents a vacancy rate of only around
7%, which, if the sector were at the bottom of a trough, would not
be regarded as a structural problem for the local market.
Rental values for prime, new-build offices in St Helier have beenstatic since 2001 at around £270-280 per sq m. Both the rental
levels and the lack of growth are comparable with UK regional
OCTOBER 2005 | WILLIE MILLER URBAN DESIGN|

15

RetailThe Island Plan promotes St Helier town centre as Jersey’s
principal retail location and as a suitable location for evening
economy activities. There is a substantial stock of retail premises
and national multiple retailers along King Street. Unlike many
UK centres, St Helier retains traditional department stores and adiverse and attractive mix of local retailers and specialist outlets(particularly jewellers and some cafes) within the core town centre.
In contrast to the office sector, retail property values in St Helier
have continued to rise. This reflects trends in the UK as consumer
expenditure has grown steadily in recent years. Clinton Card’s
letting on King Street in 2002 set a new record rental of £145 per
sq ft for a Zone A location15 16. Rent reviews for Woolworth and JD
Sports also settled at around £140 per sq ft.
Vacancies in prime retail locations were effectively zero in 2003,
and the most recent units to become available were taken by
Mango and Crabtree & Evelyn. Three vacant shop units along King
Street are all reportedly under offer to retailers. According to local
agents, the historic requirement for retailers to have local origins orpartners may be subject to a more liberal interpretation, leading togreater demand for units from new market entrants.
Although development potential within the core town centre is
extremely limited, St Helier’s commercial sector has extended
considerably with the development of the new waterfront leisurecomplex providing cinema, food & drink and heath & fitness
outlets. Proposals for the intervening island site would add further
evening activity in the form of 22,600 sq m of bars and restaurants.
The commercial prospects for such proposals are clearly
dependent upon the continuing strength of the consumer economy(based substantially upon financial services) and a healthy tourism
sector.

4 The Policy Agenda
Strategic Aims
The Strategic Aims Report presented to the States of Jersey by the
Policy and Resources Committee in December 2003 includes theStrategic Aim to create a strong and competitive economy. The
report notes the specialised nature of the Jersey economy, and the
key messages include the following:action and investment are required to grow and develop thefinancial services industry “in the face of severe international
competition”

agriculture and tourism “play…a large part in preserving theisland’s heritage and character”; there needs to be “a coherent
tourism strategy”, while agriculture must respond to global
competition

the island must broaden and deepen its economic base, and

success will depend on achieving “world-class businessconditions, a strong international reputation, excellent local andinternational communications and reliable transport links”.

Four key measures are proposed:

economic growth with sustainable inflationa skilled and qualified workforce
enterprise, innovation and diversity, especially in high valueadded sectors
an open economy that encourages competition and minimises
the costs of doing business

A number of indicators of success are listed, of which a number areof particular relevance to this study:

growth in the financial services sector
an increase in visitor numbers and expenditure
introduction of new industries

Imagine Jersey
The Imagine Jersey process generated four illustrative scenarios
for the island. Consultations have confirmed the perceived
risks of decline in the financial services sector, and a consensus
has emerged in favour of creating the conditions for future
growth based primarily on Scenario 3 (Controlled Growth), but
incorporating some aspects of Scenario 4 (Fast Growth):
16 |ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

controlled growth assumes “a promotional and welcoming
stance towards economic growth”, but continuing controls
on immigration; it would involve a greater emphasis on urban
living to relieve pressure on rural landscapes and biodiversity
fast growth would require the removal of immigration controls,
resulting in rapid population growth; a new urban lifestyle
could attract new types of people, especially the young.

Both these scenarios are predicated on achieving continued growthin the financial services. The scenarios identify key conditions for
growth, including:recognition of the need for change in traditional industries(Controlled Growth)
attraction of at least one new industry to the island (Controlled
Growth)major infrastructure investment to support new population/businesses (Fast Growth).

sectors, including emerging new industries

enabling the development and expansion of existing
businesses

protecting and enhancing the centre of St Helier as the focus ofcommercial, retail and evening activities

The Plan rehearses spatial options for the location of development.
It confirms St Helier’s role as the island’s major businessand service centre, while recognising that the town cannot
accommodate all development needs. In St Helier, development
will be achieved within the built-up area, and by extension of thebuilt-up area.
The strategy for St Helier (and other settlements) is based on
the protection and enhancement of the built environment so that it
becomes a desirable place in which to live, work and play. This will beachieved by:Jersey Island Plan
The Island Plan sets out a vision of Jersey as a distinctive place
where everyone is able to enjoy a high quality of life in a way that
respects the environment and culture of the Island and keeps it
special for future generations.
The Plan cites the States’ general economic objectives, which canbe summarised as follows:

encouraging balanced and diversified economic developmentencouraging a level of business activity that will secure a highstandard of livingachieving business activity of a type and scale that enhances
the natural and built environment

Specific objectives relate to financial services, tourism, agriculture/
fisheries, and manufacturing/services. Themes relevant to thisstudy include:

resources for the strengthening and diversification of financial
services
improving tourist accommodation and services
promoting the island’s environment, heritage, arts andfestivals
limiting commercial development on greenfield sites

The Island Plan includes an economic and community strategy.
Relevant elements of this strategy include:

meeting the future requirements of the office and industrial









regeneration and enhancement of the built environment
re-use of land and buildings in the built-up area
promotion of high quality buildings and public domaincelebration of built, cultural and archaeological heritage
sustainable design, construction and energy use
protection of local character and distinctivenessreducing traffic impacts

The Island Plan acknowledges that office developments willcontinue to focus on St Helier, as there is little provision elsewhere
in Jersey. The Plan aims to contain office development within adefined town centre area, and to stop the spread into residential
quarters. In addition, office development may be permitted as partof a mix of uses in the Waterfront and three other action areas.
The Plan describes St Helier’s historic core, where the mostimportant civic, religious, retail and commercial buildings areconcentrated. This is the “gem” of St Helier, but the activities ofpeople living and working in the area have an impact on the built
fabric:Balancing the need to accommodate change with the needto conserve and enhance the inherent quality of the town’s
fabric is an important challenge…the new Island Plan shifts
the emphasis from the replacement of historic buildings in the
town centre to their retention and re-use.
OCTOBER 2005 | WILLIE MILLER URBAN DESIGN|17

By contrast with the conservation imperatives of the historic core,
the Waterfront Development Area will be the focus for “the mostsignificant urban expansion in present day St Helier and during the lifeof the new Island Plan”:
Ultimately the area will comprise a mix of residential,commercial, civic and leisure buildings and public amenity
spaces.
Tourism Strategy
A Tourism Strategy for Jersey (2000) states that:
The future of tourism in Jersey lies in adding value – adding
value for the visitor and adding value to Jersey. We have tobuild on Jersey’s special strengths and character, address its
weaknesses and work within the economic and environmental
constraints of living on a small island.
The strategy highlights the continuing importance of tourism
for the Jersey economy, despite a marked decline in visits and(especially) bednights in the 1990s. It emphasises the importanceof a flourishing industry as a counterweight to the dominantposition of the financial services industry. It quotes market researchthat visitors and non-visitors had a positive image of Jersey, which
was seen as “an upmarket destination”, but that the island was also
perceived to be “geared more to the needs of the older visitor, safe andperhaps a bit dull or old fashioned”.
However, while the quality of coast and countryside is good, theurban environment is in need of improvement. In particular:
St Helier, which should be a vibrant centre of activity
and a magnet for visitors, compares poorly with St Peter
Port, Guernsey and historic waterfront towns elsewhere.
It is dominated by traffic. Fort Regent is badly in need ofrefurbishment and the area around the harbour, which should
be a focus for visitors, also needs attention.
From a long list of strategic priorities, five are of particular
relevance to the present study:





18 |

improving the look and feel of St Helier and other key
settlements
making more of food and shopping
promoting sports, arts and events led tourism
identifying development opportunities and broadening theaccommodation basedeveloping the business and conference market.

The strategy is critical of the St Helier offer. St Helier is a gateway
to the island, many visitors stay in the town and almost all will visit
at some time during the stay. It has a key role to play, especiallyoutside the peak holiday season, but while much of St Helier is“pleasant…parts of the town are weak and compare unfavourablywith similar waterfront towns…which have become major visitor
destinations in their own right”.
Conclusion
This has been a brief review of some – but by no means all– relevant aspects of the policy agenda. The review has highlighted
a number of recurring themes which need to be addressed by thepresent study, including:

recognition of the dominant role of the financial services
sector - despite some concerns about over-dependency andcompetitive threats, there is a general recognition that thesector is vital to the continuing prosperity of the island, andthat it needs to be able to develop, innovate and evolvethe continuing decline of the island’s tourism industry, anda perception that it has failed to respond to the needs ofa changing market, has serious implications – not least
the knock-on effects on retail, restaurants and associatedindustries

there is a continuing search for a new industry to contributeto wealth creation, but the policy process has failed to identify
credible candidates; it is more likely that future growth will be
driven by innovation and diversification in existing industries

Jersey is a small, crowded island and there is real concern
about its ability to achieve continued growth withoutcompromising its distinctive attributes and quality of life; oneof the implications of this policy tension is a new emphasis on
urban living in St Helier itself

A number of policy strands converge on St Helier, which is lagging
behind coastal towns and failing to contribute to the island’s
strategic aims. The town:will continue to be the island’s only significant office centre,
but changes will be needed to stop the drift of office space into
the suburbs; this will mean accommodating modern space inthe historic core and in key designated locations such as thewaterfrontneeds to upgrade its urban infrastructure, including provisionof the planned transport interchange, modern conference
facilities and business hotels

ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL



must develop a more attractive and competitive urban
lifestyle, reflected in, for example: improved housing choice; amore sophisticated food, drink and shopping offer; street lifeand events; and a richer cultural programmemust give priority to re-connecting with the waterfront throughthe regeneration of the Weighbridge, Island site and theWaterfront Development Area

5 St Helier: competitive place?
St Helier is the administrative capital of Jersey, and the island’s only
significant urban settlement. A combination of Jersey’s singularhousing regulations and the historic parish boundaries means that,in all probability, the employed population of St Helier exceeds theresident population: this is a unique situation for a town of this size.

St Helier is distinctive in a number of other ways. The inherent
conditions of island life means that St Helier captures domestic
retail and entertainment spend with negligible leakage; when an
annual inflow of almost 1 million visitors is added to the equation,
it is easy to explain the exceptional range and quality of consumer
services in the town relative to its modest size. In market terms, thismeans that St Helier has many of the characteristics of large towns/
small cities in the UK, and office rentals are on a par with the major
regional centres.
These unique conditions are confirmed by St Helier’s role as theseat of island government and administration, its entrepot function
for the Channel Islands and its role as a centre for culture, sportand learning. Taken together, these factors help to explain why– despite a number of shortcomings – St Helier has the urban
presence, vitality and choice of a much larger city.

St Helier: west end from Fort Regent

OCTOBER 2005 | WILLIE MILLER URBAN DESIGN|

19

Major Challenges

Financial Services

However, the consensus of opinion among policy makers and ourconsultees is that St Helier is a disappointing and under-performing
place which has failed to keep up with the changing expectationsof residents, visitors and business. We think this assessment is too
harsh in some respects – some significant improvements havebeen achieved in recent years - but we agree that the town still
faces major challenges if it is to realise its undoubted potential.

St Helier has coped generally successfully with the rapid expansionof the financial service industries in the past 25-30 years. During that
period, the larger banks and building societies have migrated
from the traditional business district in the heart of the town,
consolidating their requirements in new buildings, often on the
town centre fringes.

We have identified four key challenges, broadly reflecting the policy
agenda outlined in the previous section:

creating the conditions for continuing growth in the financial
services sectormaximising the quality and appeal of the visitor experience

encouraging and enabling the development of an authentic
urban lifestyletransforming the waterfront into a vibrant and diverse urban
quarter

These are not stand-alone issues. The four challenges are
intimately connected and require coherent, joined-up solutions.
St Helier north west panorama from Fort Regent

Jersey has an authentic financial services cluster and – in manycases – smaller units vacated by the banks have been occupied byinvestment trusts, fund managers, legal firms and accountants.
A hierarchy of office accommodation has emerged and while thisprocess has tended to push out the boundaries of St Helier’s
central business district, development has been contained within arelatively small core area.
However, events in the past 1-2 years have resulted in someclosures and downsizing and there is a sense that, at least for
the time being, employment in the sector has reached a high water
mark. The challenge for policy makers is to help the industry tomove through this transitional phase and into a new period ofdiversification and growth. That task is beyond the scope andcompetence of this report, other than to reflect the industry’s
perception that routine, back office functions will be replaced byhigher-order, specialised functions.
Against that background there is some concern that, while St
Helier has been able to accommodate the growing and changing
space requirements of the sector, it has been less successful indeveloping some of the business infrastructure likely to be required
for the next phase of development. In particular:




20 |

St Helier does not have any modern business hotels
there is no dedicated conference facility
there is no dedicated business school

ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

Visitor Experience
We share the general perception that St Helier provides a mixed
experience for visitors. The best of St Helier includes:








a compact, walkable central area
attractive pedestrianised streets
distinctive, high quality department stores and an extensive
range of high street multiple stores
the Victorian markets
some attractive public spaces, including Royal Squarea wide range of restaurants
Jersey Museum

However, the town also has a number of disappointing features:









the quality and walkability of the town centre diminishes
beyond the retail coretraffic dominated environment, especially on the southernfringelack of street life and vitality out of hours
lack of distinctive speciality shoppinglack of high quality restaurants
dull and limited cultural offer
disappointing and dated range of hotels
evening drinking culture

above: St Helier north east from Fort Regent
below: Ariadne - the Steam Clock

St Helier needs to move on. Despite some improvements it
compares poorly with other accessible short-break destinations,and confirms the impression (in the Tourism Strategy) of a “dulland old-fashioned” urban experience.

Urban Lifestyles
Despite the concentration of employment in the capital, St
Helier has failed to attract a corresponding share of the resident
population. The town has a large population of itinerant workers,
and about two-thirds of the housing stock is rented.
Historically, there has been little evidence of an appetite for urban
living, but there is little doubt that the growth of the owneroccupied sector would be beneficial at a number of levels. It
would help to relieve development pressure on the island, create abetter-balanced and more sustainable community, strengthen theretail and personal services sector and promote a more active andstimulating cultural scene.
OCTOBER 2005 | WILLIE MILLER URBAN DESIGN|

21

There are important demographic factors to take into account here:the fact that half the island’s 18 year olds leave Jersey each year
for higher education in the UK means that St Helier has no real
student life, and there is a “missing generation” of the best
and brightest young peopleyoung residents are replaced in part by non-resident workers
in key industries such as finance and tourism; this helps tocreate a party/ drinking culture which is a source of someconcerntight immigration control, largely through the housing system,means that Jersey is not an open society; there is a lack ofdiversity and new enterprises face significant restrictions

These observations are not criticisms. These factors reflect the
special conditions and circumstances of the island, and they are
not within the scope of this study. However, they need to be taken
into account when future strategies for St Helier are being framed
because, for example, they militate against bohemian lifestyle or
the development of the creative industries both of which thrive on
diversity, mobility and a large student population.

22 |St Helier at night
above: west end restaurant below: Weighbridge area

ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISALThe Waterfront
The complete disconnect between the town centre and the sea is
one of the most dispiriting aspects of the St Helier experience.
The incremental reclamation of the foreshore, over at least 200
years, to create a modern port and (latterly) other development
sites has diminished any sense of the town’s maritime history
and function. Much of this process has been essential and it
is, any event, irreversible. However, the problems it has caused
have been compounded by the severance caused by major roads,
and inappropriate and (for the most part) inept and low quality
development.
The harbour, the marinas and the Jardin de la Mer should be focal
points for residents and visitors alike, but they are stranded on
the wrong side of a busy road and a hostile pedestrian environment.
The leisure complex is a classic out-of-town, car-orientateddevelopment that contributes little to the vitality of the urban area.
With the exception of the new apartments at Albert Pier – which
add some much-needed life and activity - the first phase ofwaterfront development has been a sad disappointment. Above all,it looks desperately dated and there is no sense that St Helier haslearned the lessons from best practice waterfront developments in
the UK and the rest of Europe.

St Helier waterfront: disconnection issues

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23

Conclusion
St Helier has some valuable qualities and attributes, but ouranalysis confirms the broad thrust of the consultations and thepolicy review. St Helier has a dynamic and competitive economy,
but the urban experience does not reflect the energy and skills of thefinancial services cluster.
As a number of people have suggested to us, the condition of
St Helier seems to reflect a lack of confidence and direction. We
encountered a lot of anecdotal evidence of frustrations about, forexample, parking, vehicle access, street cafes and events, which
are typical of what happens when there is a breakdown of trust andconfidence among politicians, officials, businesses and citizens.
There is, however, no reason for pessimism. St Helier needs to do
better, but it has a lot going for it including a dynamic, wealthcreating industry, an attractive urban core, an excellent shopping
offer and an outstanding (though sadly wasted) waterfront
location.
In some ways, St Helier appears to be lagging behind the best ofmodern Jersey. The overarching challenge is to realise the potential of
the town to become a driving force for change, and to provide solutions
for the perceived tensions between economic growth and quality of life.
In tackling these challenges, two key principles should be
paramount:•

first, St Helier needs to learn lessons from other, comparable
places; one of the most depressing features of the (so far)botched development of the waterfront is that it is a throwback
to models that have long since been discredited andsuperseded by new approaches to place-making•

second, the future development and regeneration of St Helier
must be driven by an effective partnership between the States,
the parish, businesses, investors, property-owners and thecommunity; unless this is achieved, the sub-optimal fixes andcompromises that so many complain of are destined to berepeated.

Havre-des-Pas from Fort Regent
24 |ST HELIER URBAN CHARACTER APPRAISAL

6 Implications for the Development of St Helier
Based on this analysis of the driving forces shaping the Jersey
economy and society, we have provisionally identified four key goals
for the future development of St Helier:1.

to establish St Helier as an internationally competitive locationfor offshore financial services

2.

to establish St Helier as a popular and attractive short-breakdestination for discerning visitors, and as a positive feature of
the island product3.

to increase the proportion of the island’s permanent residents
living in St Helier, and4.

to make the waterfront a vibrant and attractive urban quarter,
fully integrated into the life of the community and the visitor
experience.

Footnotes
1
Based on Background Statistics for the Debate on Population Policy, States of Jersey, Policy andResources Department
2
Based on Background Statistics for the Debate on Population Policy, States of Jersey Policy &Resources Committee and http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/uk.asp
3
Based on 2001 Census Bulletin 5: Educational and Professional Qualifications and Economic
Activity, States of Jersey Policy & Resources Committee, and www.nomisweb.co.uk/ labour force
survey 2002.
4
Derived from Report on the June 2002 Manpower Survey & Report on the June Manpower Survey
Report 2003
5
Data supplied by States of Jersey Statistical Department.
6
Based on data in States of Jersey Policy and Resources Department, Census Bulletin 6:
Employment by Occupation and Industry and (for GB) the Labour Force Survey.
7First time buyer sites, gap sites in St Helier and at St Helier Waterfront, and windfall sites
8
For example Dandara’s new-build Spectrum and West Park schemes.
9
Sarre & Co.
10
www.jerseywaterfront.je
11
Table 6.6 of the 2001 Census – corporate managers, business & public service, administrative,
secretarial and related occupations total around 18,000 jobs. See also Section 2
12
A typical UK average figure would be 1 employee per 16 sq m.
13
CWHB
14
Estates Gazette Interactive Research Centre
15
30ft. Zone A, comparable to Scotland but not England. This rental level is above Guernsey
and Scottish centres such as Inverness, Dundee and Stirling, but below Glasgow, Edinburgh and
Aberdeen.
16

For each of these goals we have framed a series of specificobjectives. We will revisit these goals and objectives in theStrategic Directions and Recommendations chapters to see how
they might fit with other emerging policy and proposal strands for
St Helier.
Ref
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
2
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
4
4.1
4.1
4.3
4.4

Estates Gazette Interactive Research Centre

Goal/objective
Financial service sector
Maintaining pipeline of supply for an changing industry
Delivering 1-2 quality business hotels
Developing a world-class conference centre
Testing the market opportunity for an international business school
Visitor destination
Raising the quality and choice of accommodation in the town centre
Developing a year-round programme of events and festivals
Making the entire town centre a pedestrian-friendly environment
Creating a more cosmopolitan urban experience
Urban living
Facilitating an increase in owner-occupied flats/houses in the town centre
Improving community, cultural and leisure facilities in the town centre
Promoting and celebrating the diversity of the community
Improving the quality of streets and public spaces
St Helier Waterfront
Regeneration of St Helier/English Harbour as a town centre extension
Redevelopment of the island site as an urban quarter, combining office, housing and transport
infrastructure
Overcoming severance caused by La Route de la Liberation
Improving the experience of arrival for ferry passengers.

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