“Park swap deal is a no-go”- Constable

Thursday 11 February 2016

A swap deal to enable ministers to build a new hospital on People’s Park has been ruled out by St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, who says the offer of a new park on the existing hospital site and an extension to the Town Park doesn’t go far enough.

No decision has been made about a site for the new hospital yet, but the People’s Park is widely thought to be the front-runner of five possible options – the problem for ministers is that it belongs to the Parish of St Helier, not the States.

Health Minister Andrew Green has floated a potential swap deal for the park, if it ends up being the final preferred site, that would see the existing hospital site turned into a flat, open park with the existing granite building maintained, and the Town Park site extended through the Gas Works to St Saviour’s Road.

But that offer has been ruled out by Mr Crowcroft.

He said: “Their plan is seductive but two smaller sites do not add up to the loss of People’s Park. It is not just the grass, it is the combined value of the grass and the escarpment behind it and the vista of Elizabeth Castle.

“We could not hold the Portuguese Food Festival on the site that they are offering because it would be surrounded by housing. The uniqueness of the People’s Park is that it is sufficiently away from housing to allow you to have all of the major events, whether it’s the food festival with lots of noise and smoke, or the folk festival or motor racing.

“It’s a no go.

“We need the extension of the Town Park anyway because of the extension of housing that we have agreed to take at that end of town.”

There's a public meeting tonight about the shortlisting of the People's Park for the new hospital - Chief Minister Ian Gorst, Health Minister Andrew Green, Mr Crowcroft, former Health Minister Ben Shenton, Deputy Sam Mezec and campaigner Christian May are all due to speak at the event before an open Q&A. The meeting takes place at the Town Hall from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm, and will be moderated by ITV journalist Gary Burgess.