Could People’s Park now become a new car park?

Wednesday 09 March 2016

People’s Park may have been saved from the shortlist of hospital sites, but now there could be plans to turn it into an underground car park.

Questioned in the States yesterday about the lack of parking in St Helier, Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel revealed that the Parish of St Helier had approached his department about creating an underground car park beneath the park site.

Just weeks ago, St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft led the rebellion against ministers’ plans to include the park on the shortlist of sites for the new hospital – his proposition forced the Council of Ministers to back down and remove the park from the list.

Deouty Noel also said that other options for a new car park included the police station site at Rouge Bouillon, once the police have moved to their new home near the tunnel roundabout by March 2017.

Facing questions from Mr Crowcroft in the States, Deputy Noel said: “One of the options is the old police station as a temporary car park and see if that alleviates the issues and consideration could be made for a car park that gives greater capacity, whether that’s a multi-storey or some other arrangement.

“We are also looking at a multi-story on the east side of town. We have had a conversation of the Constable to consider an underground car park at People’s Park, with the park on top. That meeting was at the Constable’s request.”