Waterfront facing public inquiry

Environmental concerns will also be addressed by a waterfront inquiry

The direction of a redevelopment plan for Jersey's waterfront could be decided by the island's first public planning inquiry.

The future of the Waterfront Master Plan faces changes because of confusion about the position of scheme developer Harcourt and lawsuits it faces.

If the inquiry is held, Planning Minister Freddie Cohen said planning rules would be rigorously applied.

Environmental concerns will also be addressed by it.

Developer 'invitation'

The waterfront master plan faces being revoked by the States after Chief Minister Frank Walker denied earlier this month that developer Harcourt was involved in a legal dispute in Nevada, US.

Mr Walker later apologised, saying he had been misinformed.

The inquiry will be held if the plan is re-approved by the States.

Planners said a planning inquiry would chose the best scheme, and that the environmental effects of any building scheme would also be scrutinised.

Mr Cohen said: "The master plan is effectively an invitation to a developer - whether it be Harcourt or another developer.

"One of the requirements will be a full environmental impact assessment as part of the application, and that will be properly scrutinised and, of course, form part of the public inquiry."