Green light for Hue Court to house health staff

Tuesday 02 April 2019

Andium Homes have been given the go-ahead to refurbish Hue Court in town - but the revamped 90 flats will go to the Health Department to be used as "key worker" accommodation.

Existing residents of the first block of Hue Court have already been moved to new homes elsewhere, including the newly-refurbished units at Plaisant Court.

Andium Homes is now supporting residents in the second block with a move to alternative accommodation. These residents will have priority for the new homes Andium is constructing, such as those at Samarès.

The green light comes in the form of a loan approval by Jersey's Treasury Minister, Deputy Susie Pinel, enabling the work on the high-rise to begin. Construction will be carried out by Rok over a 74-week period.

The refurbishment will include a full rewire, new plumbing, insulation and ventilation upgrades, as well as new kitchens and bathrooms. Fire safety measures will also be upgraded, with the installation of sprinklers in all flats and communal areas.

The buildings will also get new windows, a new roof and new external insulation on their lower portion. The basement will be upgraded with new lighting, sprinklers and other associated fire upgrades, Andium said.

It is hoped that this work will improve the buildings aesthetically, as well as reducing maintenance and running costs in future.

Once finished, the 90 units - 84 one-bedroom flats and six two-beds - will go to Health and Community Services to be used as key worker accommodation. The decision was made in accordance with the actions identified for Andium Homes in the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry.

Andium previously refurbished St. Helier-based nursing home, The Limes, for junior doctor and hospital keyworker accommodation in order to facilitate the initial phases of the Future Hospital project. Junior doctors currently staying at The Limes being will move into Hue Court next year to release the site for redevelopment for affordable housing.

Pictured: Junior doctors are currently living at the Limes, which Andium will develop as affordable housing in the future.

Frank Walker OBE, Andium Homes Chairman, commented: “I believe Andium Homes is the most appropriate vehicle to deliver affordable housing for key workers in Jersey. The refurbishment of Hue Court provides an excellent opportunity to do this and has been welcomed by Health and Community Services and the Minister for Children and Housing.

"We are working hard to increase the supply of homes for all Islanders and are on site nowdelivering 760 new homes, towards our target of 3,000 new homes by 2030”.

Deputy Richard Renouf, the Minister for Health and Community Services, added that he was delighted with the Hue Court proposals, given the "excellent standard of key worker accommodation" Andium delivered at The Limes.

"The recruitment and retention of our staff is a challenge for us and there is no doubt that the standard of housing previously available has contributed to that. We should be able to offer our key workers good quality accommodation in an appropriate location and I believe Hue Court will provide just that.”