Parish makes £950k offer to progress elderly housing plans

Saturday 17 February 2024

The parish of St Ouen has offered £950,000 for a property on La Route de Vinchelez in the hope that it can be demolished and turned into housing for the elderly.

Richard Honeycombe said parishioners had voted in favour of purchasing High Marsh House in order to expand St Ouen's 'Homes for the Elderly' provision.

He revealed that 150 people attended the parish assembly on Wednesday evening, adding that five had abstained and a similar number had voted against the proposals – with the rest in favour.

He described the parish hall as "rammed" on the evening, adding that the vote had "generated a lot of discussion".

Pictured: Constable Richard Honeycombe said St Ouen parishioners had voted in favour of the plans on Wednesday evening.

"We have put a formal offer in and we are waiting for the agent to come back to us to see if the purchase will go ahead," he continued.

Constable Honeycombe previously said the site could be used to provide eight one-bedroom units, but he explained that some of the objections raised during Wednesday's vote had included concerns over the amount being spent and the lack of planning permission for the site to be developed.

However, he stressed that the property was still "an appreciating asset" and that "we would still have a sizeable piece of real estate regardless of what we do with it".