Could Turner Prize winning group take on Fort Regent?

Wednesday 30 March 2016

A Jersey-backed group of artists and architects linked to last year's Turner Prize winning regeneration project in Liverpool could be about to take on the challenge of breathing life back into Fort Regent.

Politicians have been grappling with how to revitalise the leisure centre, and are considering approaches from private investors, now that it’s clear there is little chance of capital investment from the States given the state of public finances and the huge capital projects lined up with the new hospital, sewage works and Les Quennevais School.

Steve Pallett, the politician with responsibility for sport, said that a recent meeting of the Fort Regent Steering Group, States Members discussed how to take the project forward.

And he said that the only approach that they had received so far was from a group linked to Assemble, the group that won the prestigious Turner Prize last year for their work to regenerate a rundown area of Liverpool.

Mr Pallett, who serves as the Constable of St Brelade and as an Assistant Economic Development Minister, said that doing nothing with the fort was “not an option”.

He said: “It is now almost 50 years old and it clearly need some updating in some areas, including the glass work. We have had a proposal from a group in regards to doing some work – they have previously won the Turner Prize for a development in Liverpool.

“They have given us an outline proposal. It is the only proposal that we have received.

“We have no Planning guidelines in terms of what might be possible and we agreed to look for some steer from the Environment department as to what we would and would not be allowed to do, that is really important - if we are going to go and look at private investors, we need some kind of idea of what is feasible.

“With the state of public finances I think that there is a realisation that in terms of doing anything, we are going to have to look for private investment.

“From that, I would be looking to do a bit of consultation with the public as regards what they want. We will be engaging with States Members. At some stage I would like to think this year that we would look to bring a proposition to the States to get some backing about the approach that we would like to take. It might be a partnership of public and private funding.

“I don’t see any opportunities in the MTFP for any capital investment, there are clearly areas where we need to put some capital investment such as Les Quennevais School and the hospital.”