Gov plans two more home purchases for new hospital

Tuesday 13 July 2021

The Government has confirmed its intention to buy two more properties to make way for the £800m future hospital and its accompanying highway.

According to a newly-published report, Infrastructure Minister Deputy Kevin Lewis wants to purchase homes along Westmount Road.

The former sits opposite Overdale, with the seven properties surrounding it having already been snapped up.

The latter sits to the back-left of the current Overdale site, and the development zone crosses into its garden.

Pictured: The properties to the back and side of the one marked have already been bought up.

Deputy Lewis shared the plan to purchase the properties yesterday morning. States Members have 15 days to challenge the plans if they wish to do so, after which point the transaction will be able to be concluded.  

The Government declined to comment on how much these properties were expected to cost and has previously refused to confirm how many in total are on its purchase list. However, the budget for property acquisitions has previously been estimated to be £16m.

Property acquisitions accounted for more than half of the new hospital project's £22.1m spend by the end of May. Meanwhile, £7.6m has been spent on design, £1.6m on ‘professional and specialist services’ and more than half-a-million on the Project Team.

Pictured: Project expenditure as at 31 May 2021.

By mid-April, the Government had spent around £4m on three properties opposite Overdale. But Royal Court documents seen by Express showed that at least 11 more acquisitions were made after that, with the majority happening in May, taking the total spend to £12m.

Seven homes were bought, with the sales contracts worth between £763,995 and £1.7m.

Two garages were also sold at £20,000 each, and a parcel of garden land for £16,800.

Field H1550A, over which a new car park is likely to sit, sold for £300,000. It neighbours Field 1550, which is believed to be the site of a ‘lost’ Megalithic dolmen and now earmarked to host a mental health facility.

Pictured: The footprint of the new hospital includes the garden of the marked property, which is why the Government is planning to purchase it.

Each of the contracts contained clauses relating to a final date of departure, ranging from summer at the earliest and New Years’ Eve at the latest. 

Three homeowners had their fees and relocation costs covered, with one entitled to £32,000.

Deputy Chief Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham, who has political responsibility for the project, has previously stated the Government's intention to negotiate sales with islanders, but is able to use compulsory purchase to acquire the desired properties if necessary.

READ MORE...

FOCUS: A first look at the new hospital plans...