In brief: Plans for a new accessible playground at Mont à l’Abbé School in St Helier are facing objections from nearby residents who say the development will worsen traffic on an already-strained local road network, including a narrow green lane. The playground, funded by charitable donations, is designed for children aged four to eleven with disabilities. The application has not yet been approved.
A Playground Built for Purpose
Plans submitted in July propose a new playground at Mont à l’Abbé School as part of a broader effort to improve facilities for children with special educational needs in Jersey. The Jersey Evening Post reports that the development also aligns with the government’s Play Plan, described as a three-year action plan to make Jersey more “play-friendly”.
The playground is designed for children between four and eleven years old living with disabilities, and includes a wheelchair swing, sensory den, “cosy cocoon”, marine activity centre, cobra swing, and road markings with traffic lights to encourage imaginative play. Funding has come from charitable donations and fundraising events, and Jersey Property Holdings confirmed to the St Helier Roads Committee that parents were consulted as part of the design process.
The facility would be built on La Pépinière, with vehicle access off La Grande Route de Saint-Jean. At present, it is intended solely for school use, though the government is reviewing whether community access could be permitted, with any such use to be managed through the primary school administration.
Residents Push Back on Traffic Concerns
Despite the admirable aims of the project, several property owners in the surrounding area have raised objections, with their concerns centred firmly on traffic rather than the principle of the playground itself.
Holly Byrne told planners the development would “put considerable pressure” on an area already struggling due to “education, childcare, commercial and residential activity”, and argued that “substantial facilities already exist at Mont à l’Abbé and Haute Vallée.” She was careful to clarify that her concern was about the location, not about “providing children with suitable recreational facilities”.
Alison Marshall described the application as “another” that lacks a “proper traffic, road and safety assessment” ahead of submission. Representing the view of St Helier North, she stressed the district is “not against thoughtful development” but warned the area has little green space remaining and that the development would have a “negative impact on an important green lane.” She added that roads and pavements in St Helier North are “already beyond capacity”.
Estelle Martinson focused her objections on Highview Lane, which she described as a “narrow, green lane and cul-de-sac” used regularly by residents. She warned that “the introduction of regular school traffic, particularly at peak drop-off and collection times, would significantly compromise this safety.” She added that vehicles “would have nowhere to go other than to turn around in the lane, increasing congestion, reducing visibility, and obstructing the free and safe movement of pedestrians and other vulnerable users.”
Sewer Works Add to the Pressure
The objectors’ concerns are not without context. The Jersey Evening Post notes that significant diversions have already been sporadically in place in the area due to Northern Sewer Network upgrades, primarily affecting La Route de Saint Jean. Those works began last November and are due to continue until June 2027, meaning the surrounding road network is already under considerable strain for the foreseeable future.
The planning application has not yet been determined.
Source: Jersey Evening Post
