Talking Jersey

Scott
Jokerpeople stay because there's an invsible tractor beam that tries to keep people there! people I've spoken to can't believe that other's cannot survive living outside of Jersey. I lean towards the intelligence of the locals with those comments. Wait and see for all the shops to close down, they's been getting away with ripping people off for years. All these names and they are run by 2 companies, co-op and sandpiper. If that's not a cartel then what is? The whole island is the answer

Scott Mills
We all have this dream that once the old guard politicians finally go, that they will be replaced by our generation, to bring in the NEW world ideas and laws. I'm afraid as history shows politicians are replaced by politicians and this will never change especially in jersey. It's a shame that most people in jersey know more about politics in the UK, or further afar than they do Jersey. But that's what the politicians like about their subjects, so they can keep voting behind close doors and keep their gentlemen's club firmly alive. How's the Greedy Sadistic Tactic (GST) coming along. Most people don't even realise how much hidden tax is in petrol! does anyone know how much the price of petrol is at the moment in jersey. Yeah they declare "we don't pay road tax here!" oh yeah you do. Someone investigate the %

Scott Mills
Steve Bishop, it's also a misconception that everyone who works in the finance centre is loaded, they are not let me tell you. I think Jersey reflects the world as a whole: a small group of people with all the money, leaving the rest to feed on the scraps. But one day this bubble will burst and the arrogant people will be left with nothing. I'd hate to see that happen, but it's this view that jersey has a safe force field around it that reflects away the worlds problems. Unfortunately, like the ozone layer this will one day fade away

Scott Mills
Joker, not where in the western world do the hve medieval parish hall enquiries where you have no legal representation, and have to admit your guilt to deter the centenier from sending you to magistrates court. You may as well be tried in Saudi Arabia or alike, having a gun put to your head saying sign this confession that i've (centenier) written for you. Island is a joke, and on a recent trip, the views and opinions of locals are well lets say archiac. You know you don't even have human rights in jersey, because they don't want to implement it because it will go against the housing quals and many many other law (outdated) in jersey. Enjoy staying in the dark ages.

Michael
You seem to miss that I allowed and more than happy to speak my mind.It's misguided press followers like yourself who have a warped opinion of an island full of diversity.

I am not Jersey born but moved here, and liked it enough to stay. I have worked hard and earned the possibility to buy a property. I will be working hard for a long time to maintain paying for this - and NO I am not in the finance industry - but this is a choice I have made. The price of my home is way more than I would have paid for the same property in the North East of England, but then I choose not to live there.

I get the impression that most of you who are complaining about the price of property here do not own property. Well sorry to be selfish but why would I want property prices to fall? I will lose my equity and investment. Surely every home owner in the world would want their property to rise in value? That is not something that is only in Jersey.

Joker
bob and Scott - your rants don't hold any logic; if Jersey was such a bad place to live, we wouldn't have a population problem.

mike
to be honest Bob, im not sure the outside world really thinks about Jersey enough for it to be a joke, i lived in London for 21 years before moving here, and i never thought about it. anyway, whilst people defending various cultures/communities right to move to jersey, while at the same time mocking and critisizing another entire culture/community is all well and good (and hilariously hypocritical), it doesnt stop there being a problem with housing. I agree, its not the Portugese, or the Polish, or the martians for that matter, i would suggest that a lot of this has to do with the whole qualification thing, if we had more unqualified housing, or did away with the whole thing and just controlled immigration, there wouldnt be a problem. admittedly hindsight is 20-20. jersey is a finite space, up is the only way, or we could reclaim some more sea i suppose. or more houseboats!!!!

bob
well said scott mills. jersey you are a joke to the outside world.

Scott Mills
Michael, it's called speaking your mind, and i guess living in jersey you are not allowed to do that no?

Carl
Let's not forget that it is States policy to "grow the economy" (as a misguided strategy to somehow earn our way out of the tax black hole - instead of cutting wasteful States spending), so this pressure for housing is squarely their fault. Remember that when the next elections come along.

Ex Jersey
I love Jersey. I lived there for 10 years, left about 6 years ago. I miss lots of things about living there. However - it's criminal that first time buyers stand virtually no chance of being able to buy a property. Surely you risk most of your young people leaving the island for careers and homes elsewhere? A First Time buyers house £420k? I'm sure there are cheaper but even so. I know from people I still speak to that merely average houses are £600K plus.

Yes, houses are expensive here too as Nick mentioned - but not quite at that level! Its greed and people mortgaging themselves to the hilt to keep up with the Le Marquands that will ruin Jersey. Oh, and choking from the emissions of your 4x4's and Porsche's.

I digress, but someone really needs to think about the future - like Graham in Southampton says - the future belongs to the young but is being decided by a bunch of old fools who haven't got a clue and are too busy trying to rescue Jersey's and they're own reputation).

Graham - stay in Southampton mate and have yourself a decent life without a £3000 a month mortgage!

Bob, NOT a builder
Steve Bishop's post hits the nail on the head, but he missed out on the news that 1,300 1 bed apartments are left surplus while there is a shortage of 1,200 +/- actual houses for families.It seems that instead of thinking outside the box (they prefer to build boxes, than homes) and looking at cheaper alternatives like prefabricated, then we get the same old faces at Dandara building properties that are over priced or not fit for purpose.Roll on the elections!

Steve Bishop
There used to be a time (a long time ago, admittedly) when A-H properties were at a price that ordinary Jersey families could afford and everything else for everyone else was considerably more expensive. But not everybody works in finance and pushing the price of property ever upwards for those outside the finance sector is a cruel and unfair situation.

Those in the finance sector will understand that if a first time buyers house costs £420,000 and the average salary (a figure based on mean averages inflated by a small amount of people with huge salaries) is £27,000 as proclaimed by the JEP...then buying a house is out of the reach of most ordinary Jersey (non-finance sector) families.

This is not an opinion or a rant, but an observation. But if opinions count for anything, then I think it is disgusting that ordinary families are being marginalized and excluded from the utopia we are supposedly creating. Raising children in apartments or flats that resemble prison cells is a simple recipe for social problems in the future.

Families need family friendly housing, as well as a family aware government.Jersey is a fantastic place to live in, truly a gem despite the recent events. But it has become a cruel and heartless society cynically ruled by greed. If that doesn’t change then Milton would probably name Jersey as Paradise Wasted or Corrupted.

Michael
Buildings will always continue to be built. Everyone surely can accept that. Whether the buildings are flats in a high rise or first time buyers houses on an estate means nothing. Property prices will continue to rise as long as there is a demand.As long as we can keep as much of the island as possible in a rural or green state this is what we have to hope for. I don't see too much problems with the buildings in town being taller if this means that peoples accomodation standards improve. Oh... Scott Mills... I don't think many people would appreciate the way that you just blurt out your comment like that... and as for being backwards - maybe you should try and write your comments on the correct articles as that way you may not make yourself look so backwards!

ann
stop building and start renovating older properties with approved grants for present home owners and relax building permission for those who wish to improve and extend their homes.

Graham
I am a student in southampton but i grew up in jersey and I will be back when im finished my degree. I think that everyone is complaining about nothing! The point is that the population is rising and that more housing is required and there is only one way which is up. High rise can be done tastefully. The reason why up is the only way is because the old folks in the island dont want their green land to disapear and they dont like the idea of 'Skyscrapers' are these people having a laugh the island is hardly manhatten. We have a beautiful waterfront which should be exploited and high rise buildings can produce a beautiful skyline. Wake up people its a young generations future with old folk controling it!

Jane
On an island with limited space, it seems rather odd that we limit the height on buildings in the Capital, preferring to encroach further into green field sites.We have ended up with a very bland and watered down proposals for the waterfront, the original highrise scheme of Dandara's showed some imagination. Bring it back.The law must be changed to stop outside investors buying property to rent, the result is locals can no longer afford property.Senator Cohen, residents in town do need parking spaces, rather then lining the pockets of others.

Ray
Jersey is being ruined by weakness and political manoevring at Planning. The Waterfront's a wreck. We've got to preserve the unspoilt bits of the island, improve public transport to reduce car usage, and build in traditional Jersey styles with traditional Jersey materials.Actually, does anyone know who developed those granite houses in Sandybrook. Shame Goose Green next door is about to be built on as tastelessly as everywhere else.

Scott Mills
I left the island 3 years ago, and i now realise how insular and out of touch the majority of Jersey really is. I've never heard such pathetic comments in my entire life. You lot moaned about the portuguesse when they arrived, now it's the turn of the Polish. I would like to see where Jersey would be without any form of immigration as many of the local wish for. Most of you are backward (looking) and believe the World ends at the shoreline of St.Ouens

Jim
There is lots of space for new development in Jersey, even brownfield- The flats along St Clements Road could easily be replaced by something, larger, wider and more architecturally pleasing without many of you even noticing! I think Jersey still has many options for future development. When somebody does mention the word I think to many of you feel that the 'normans' building is going to be planted in the middle of St John!

Nick - Brighton
"I was born on this island, am relatively young (28, but feel older!) married with two children and am now having to leave the island I once loved dearly. My landlady is evicting us because she wants to sell."Jodie don't think it will be any easier in the UK. Property prices have gone crazy and it is hard for your equivalents here to get on the propety ladder. May I suggest emigrating to New Zealand.

Richard
Whatever you all think - Jersey is no different to anywhere else in the world - growing populations with limited space - and a nimby attitude - we don't have to re-invent the wheel - just build on brownfield sites first and build tastefully - there are plenty of examples of good high rise as well as poor low rise

Jodie
I was born on this island, am relatively young (28, but feel older!) married with two children and am now having to leave the island I once loved dearly. My landlady is evicting us because she wants to sell.

We cannot afford the price of private rentals and apparently I earn too much to even be put on the states rental list. They dont even consider the debts I have, that I am desperately trying to pay off.

We have now been left with no real option but to move off the island. I have to say that I am deeply disappointed in the islands housing department and lack of compassion.

We are now just waiting for my landlady to take us to court to get us evicted but as we have nowhere else to go and the states wont help we are in a no win situation.

It seems that if I quit my job and lived off benefits I would get help but as I am trying to work hard and better myself and pay off my own debts to support my family I am being pushed out of the place I once called home.

Jersey needs to stop thinking only of money and start considering the families they are driving out.

Jon
this country was rebuilt by immigrants after WWII so be grateful, as long as there patriotic, work hard, pay tax's don't commit crime then what's the problem, otherwise if they do commit crimes, deport them

kyle
stop building on new land, start reclaimin new land in other parts of the island and start building there

jason
Green zone should not be built on we should rezone on redevelopment on old existing building. Also the states should inforce population numbers and issue work permets.

Mark
Your complaining about immigration? Its not going to stop you know, the UK is at almost breaking point (so to be frank your lucky that you can control your borders in comparison) and there are migrants from across the world who want to come to Europe. Don't be so arrogant to assume you are the only people dealing with this issue as it is Europe wide, you only need to look at all the African migrants taking boats to get to the Canary Islands (and thus access to Europe via Spain) to see that!

Rita
Having read all the comments! i would like to address a few!

I agree that we should keep immigration to a minimum, 'kicking those people out who have low rent etc well i think you need to wake up and smell the coffee!! Some people on low rent do go to work and always have done and have brought there children up alone whilst working!(without child support) but obviously cannot afford to pay the full rent, so before you condem think!

also i would say that the building works needs to be controlled a lot more i would not like my children to work hard and be only able to afford(if at all) those rabbit hutches they are building now, i was unable to buy because of my circumstances but i would encourage my children to rather than pay dead money all there lives(even if it is low rent GREG!) i also dont agree with the amount of imigrants arriving in the island(you know who they are! who seem to think the world owes them a living, they seem to drive around on there PL plates even though there supposed to change them after six months! and most recently i learn that upon arrival they immediatly cancel there car Insurance! so beware if you have an accident with one of these people, as they are not covered.

Also NO HIGHRISE.

Dill
What about people who can't work for a living, or who need financial support from the States because they're on low incomes? And if you kicked out all the 'wasters', who'd you get to do all the low-paid menial work?

Simon
Firstly - Immigration should be opened up for only employing the people that the island needs. Lets take a look at the way Australia and New Zealand work. If your not rich or don't have any qualities that will benefit the country, they simply deny you entry. How simple can you get!!!

Secondly - There will always be a need to build new houses/apartments however; we need to set a standard of living. You only have to look at what has been built recently to see the difference between the builds.

For example, the Spectrum site has been built so that they could cram as many apartments into the area. The apartments are small and they all overlook one another. After investigation, the average price for a 2 bedromm property with 1 parking space was circa £260k

On the other hand, a LOCAL company built the Mangolia Apartments and the difference is evident. 2 large bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en-suite), quality fitted kitchen and fittings and of course 2 PARKING SPACES. None of the apartments look onto one another and due to the small number of apartments built on the site, the quality of living is better. All this for the same price of a Spectrum apartment....

Planning and Development need to implement strict building instructions. if the place isn't big enough or the site is overcrowded, simply deny the build. What are the developers going to do? They are not just going to let a plot of land stay empty are they. They will alter the plans accordingly.

Come on the States, have some guts and start making a stand for the LOCAL people....

Greg
Stop Building!

Stop immigration
Stop immigration, kick out the wasters who sponge of the taxpayers, and get rid of States low rent paying tenants and give the people who work for a living the opportunity to live on the Island that THEY support!