Hospital: waterfront site would be "politically undeliverable"

Thursday 24 November 2016

It's being suggested Ministers didn't want a hospital on the waterfront as they are planning more housing there instead, and that the site would be, "politically undeliverable."

They are two of the reasons which a Scrutiny panel have put forward for Ministers not selecting what they say is the site which has been ranked the highest. They also say the waterfront site is not as easy to access from Patriotic Street Car Park.

Where to put the Island's new £466million hospital has been one of the major political issues of the year, and for the last few weeks a scrutiny panel has been reviewing ministerial plans to put it right next to the current site on Gloucester Street. 

Last week, a member of that Panel - Constable Chris Taylor - broke ranks and resigned, so that he could put in his own proposal to make sure the Waterfront site remained in the running.

But now the rest of that Panel has produced it's report, which carefully doesn't back any of the potential sites - but it does shed some light on why the Waterfront was not taken forward by Ministers. 

The Panel says the Waterfront would be a cheaper and less risky place to build, as well as meaning less noise, dust and disruption for patients than moving the hospital just a few yards from its current location. 

However, it's report says that Ministers haven't taken it forward because they are planning to put lucrative housing there instead, that it would be "politically undeliverable", and that it would be more difficult for Islanders to access from Patriotic Street Car Park. 

"The Waterfront site was the highest ranking site overall in the evaluation assessment (excluding People’s Park). In examining the evidence, it seems that, although the Waterfront site was identified as a contender from the beginning, it was never going to be the preferred option of the Council of Ministers. 

"In considering the evidence, it would appear that there are three main reasons why the Council of Ministers did not bring forward the Waterfront as the preferred site: it is seen as politically undeliverable; the site is already earmarked for two housing developments which would generate “significant income” and; the preferred site offers better access from the multi-storey carpark than the Waterfront site."

So far Ministers haven't commented on those allegations, but it seems certain that they will be asked to explain why the Waterfront would be "politically undeliverable," if it is the best site for the Island. 

Initially, both Ministers and hospital clinicians wanted to build the new hospital on the People's Park, but a public outcry led to those plans being shelved. Now Ministers have settled on a development adjacent to the current building, which is likely to cost £466million, and provide 280 beds. Those plans still have to be agreed by States Members. 

So far it has taken more than four years and approximately £5million to determine where was the best place is to build the new hospital, with 41 sites on the original list.