Vote on how to fund £800m hospital due in October

Thursday 15 July 2021

A final decision on how to fund Jersey’s £800m new hospital at Overdale will be taken in October, rather than September, it has been confirmed.

The proposals were originally due to be tabled by the end of July with a debate two months later.

Yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister Senator Lyndon Farnham, who has political responsibility for the project, confirmed that the financing plans will now be put forward on 3 August, with a debate scheduled for October.

He told Express that the decision to move back the debate was to allow the Future Hospital Scrutiny Panel more time to examine the plans – a process he described as “very important” – before they go to the States Assembly for a vote.

Senator Farnham last month suggested that the hospital would be funded by a blend of borrowing and Government reserves, saying that “the debate for Members will be over how much is borrowed.”

Yesterday, he said he was unable to provide any more detail on the exact funding products being looked at, as “Treasury are still working on the options”.

“The Political Oversight Group are due to consider the Treasury proposals for funding at our meeting on 26 July. Subject to approval, they’ll go to the Council of Ministers and then lodged… on 3 August,” he said.

Despite the debate taking place one month later than initially hoped, the Deputy Chief Minister was firm that the project’s timeline was not affected and that it was still “on track.”

The next step will be putting forward a planning application for the demolition of Overdale’s current buildings. That is due to happen on 31 July, with planning permission hopefully obtained by winter and demolition works beginning in the spring.

The early demolition works will concentrate on Overdale’s vacant buildings, as some on the site will need to continue providing services while the former Les Quennevais School is repurposed to temporarily welcome them.

It is not yet clear when the planning application to change Les Quennevais will be submitted, but it’s expected to be put forward by the end of summer.