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The Economic Development Minister has responded to queries about the safety of building a skatepark on South Hill Gardens, saying that checks so far have indicated there are no major risks in locating the park near La Collette.
In a reply to questions from Scrutineer Deputy David Johnson, Senator Lyndon Farnham said the site, situated within the Outer Hazard Zone of bulk fuel storage facilities at La Collette, was not considered a serious hazard, according to advice he had received.
The Minister said independent specialist, Atkins Limited, had used the UK Health and Safety Executive’s Land Use Planning Methodology to ascertain whether the site was safe.
They eventually assessed it as ’Sensitivity Level 3’ and concluded that there should be “no reason on major hazard grounds that planning permission should be refused."
Pictured: The proposals for South Hill suggest building fences and barriers to keep skaters safe from any risk of rock fall.
Senator Farnham did, however, acknowledge that certain information about the park’s layout had been “superseded” since the initial assessment and that if the site was chosen, the assessment would be “updated to reflect current information and make this publicly available as soon as possible.”
He also warned though, that “this [new assessment] will not alter the conclusion of the assessment as the development will still lie entirely within the Outer Hazard Zone.”
Deputy David Johnson hasn’t been the only concerned by the potential project’s location; in an open letter to States Members shared with Express yesterday, Peter Lightbody voiced his concerns about what even a minimal risk could potentially cause, noting that no one had expected a pandemic.
“You are personally about to put your name and credibility behind a site that sits in an Industrial Hazard Zone that for safety reasons is established to deter large meetings of the public because of the risks to people should (God forbid) an incident take place at the La Collette Industrial area,” he wrote.
“You are choosing to put islanders, of all ages, at risk because of politics, flawed arguments and process based on emotion, and not the facts.”
Pictured: Though concerns have been raised about how close the site is to La Collette, the feasibility report states it does not “advise against” putting the site there as it is only in the ‘Sensitivity Level 3‘ category.
The controversy over the park doesn’t end at safety concerns either - a noted Jersey geologist, Dr John Renouf, spoke to Express last week about South Hill’s 500,000 year history and heritage, and the damage he feared building the park could have on the site.
However, in his letter to Deputy Johnson, Senator Farnham also addressed the site’s archeology, saying that “geoarchaeological advice [is] to be sought to minimise any impact“ the site of special interest, though what this actually entails or who would be recruited is not specified.
The location of the skatepark - which Senator Steve Pallett is asking politicians to agree should be Les Quennevais, as per original plans - is due to be debated in the States Assembly today.
Skatepark designs unveiled ahead of location vote
WATCH: South Hill skatepark plan 'threatens 500,000 years of history'
OPEN LETTER: Safety first! Don't put the skatepark in a hazard zone
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