“People will decide if park can be used for hospital, not ministers”

Friday 08 January 2016

Town Constable Simon Crowcroft says that it will be up to St Helier residents, not the Council of Ministers, to decide whether the new £400 million hospital can go on the Peoples’ Park or not.

The decision on the site – which has been whittled down to the Waterfront or Peoples’ Park – is expected in a few weeks, after several delays to a selection exercise that has already cost £2.2 million. But after a few hints since December, it looks like the Peoples' Park is the front-runner.

But the park belongs to the Parish of St Helier, not the States, and the Constable says that no deal will be done to sell or swap it without the approval of parishioners.

And he says that any swap deal would have to leave the parish with a similar open space for town residents – and he doesn’t think that can happen.

Mr Crowcroft said: “We had a meeting a few months ago but nothing has happened lately. My position remains the same – that I do not think that there is a suitable replacement site for Peoples’ Park.

“Like everyone, I’m surprised that it’s taking so long and that it has cost so much money so far, with so few results.

“It is interesting to compare the process with the process of finding a site for the new Les Quennevais School, which has been handled in an exemplary manner - they have come up with a preferred site and had full public involvement.

The limit of the meetings has been to say ‘we are going to look at Peoples’ Park’ and I have made my position clear – hands off.

“It is the parish’s land.

“If they come forward with a proposal I will put it to the parishioners in the form of a simple ‘yes or no’ referendum, and the parishioners of St Helier will decide. But I share the view that Peoples’ Park is a very precious space not only used by St Helier, but all Islanders.”

There are apparently four sites in the running – Overdale, the current site, the Waterfront, or the park. But it’s understood that the real choice has been boiled down to the last two options.

The plan is to build a new hospital of around 280 beds – that’s an increase on the current 230 beds on the existing site.

If ministers choose to go with the Waterfront, the end result is likely to be what looks like a nine-storey building stretching from The Radisson Blu to the Fregate café.

If the decision is to go with the current site, the costs are likely to rise because the construction project will take 11 years, rather than six on a clear site.