From Michael Green.
PLEASE forgive me for sending you this email so soon after the previous one but after reading the article regarding the recent opinion expressed by Senator Cohen (JEP, 22 Jun) I feel I must respond.

At a time when brown field sites are in such serious short supply in St Helier on which to build to meet the demand for social housing the recent comments reported to have been made by the Minister for planning in the JEP is particularly outrageous.

For him to suggest that the site which is currently the home for the Planning Department as well as Transport and Technical Services should be sold for the development of luxury housing when there is a desperate need for social housing is totally unacceptable.

He claims that the site would be better off with high value housing due to the wonderful sea views. Therefore he appears to be against the idea of social housing on the site based merely on those views.

This smacks of discrimination. As he appears to suggest that those in desperate need of decent accommodation do not deserve the right to enjoy those views. Or is he seen to be supporting rich developers rather than attending to the needs of those who are less fortunate.

He further claims that the decision rests with the Treasury Department but by expressing this opinion he in his role as Minister may be seen to be influencing any decision the Treasury Department might have on the subject in favour of the profit driven developers.

He appears to admit to his position over the subject of housing by rejecting the proposal to combine the Housing and Planning departments as being too conflicted. In the light of his interest in the development of luxury houses on a publicly owned site there is no doubt a conflict of interest would arise due to his apparent disinterest in supporting the Housing Minister in his desperate bid to provide affordable homes for all.