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The Constable of St. Helier has relaunched a battle to rule out what he describes "the jewel in the crown of the island’s urban parks" as a new hospital location amid calls for the site debate to start afresh.
Simon Crowcroft wants to ensure that the hospital will not be built on People’s Park, as well as other parks in his parish including Lower Park, Victoria Park, Westmount Gardens or Parade Gardens.
But the bid to protect People's Park from a "fresh attack" - an area that the previous Health Minister ruled out amid political pressure, despite it being his preferred site - is facing a challenge.
Deputy Kirsten Morel is among a growing number of voices within the States Assembly instead suggesting that the site selection process start from scratch, balancing each location on its merits, rather than taking previous political decisions into account.
This week, both States Members have put forward proposals to advance their idea, which follow Deputy Russell Labey's proposition to reject the States' previous decision to build on Gloucester Street.
Pictured: Constable Crowcroft previously fought to keep the hospital off People's Park in 2016.
The Constable had previously fought the development of the hospital at People's Park in 2016, and is this time hoping that the current Assembly will be swayed by the argument once again.
In a report outlining his proposal, the Constable says that there is already a shortage of green space in space - a situation he says he has tried to remedy by fighting the loss of space in Springfield Park and attempting to extend Millennium Town Park.
He wrote that, given the States policy to "concentrate new housing developments in St. Helier", the town needs "to conserve the amenity space and parkland that it has, and to increase provision, if the future residents of the town are not to be short-changed when it comes to amenity space, with all of the social consequences that go with town cramming."
Pictured: Andium Homes plans to grow the town park by as much as 5,480m2.
The Constable added that while Andium Homes is planning to extend Millennium Park by 50% as part of its redevelopment of the Gas Site, it will not be enough to "mitigate the loss of open space" if the new hospital was built on People’s Park or at Parade Gardens.
He described People’s Park as "the jewel in the crown of the Island’s urban parks", which he says is more versatile and accessible than Howard Davis Park. "People’s Park is used for an extraordinary number and variety of events each year with some, like the Portuguese Food Festival, attracting tens of thousands of visitors during the course of an event; it is a vital component in the Island’s major annual festivals," the Constable wrote.
Constable Crowcroft also included St. Helier’s other parks and gardens to the amendment in order to "safeguard them from the future development of the new hospital", stating that the same arguments hold true "for conserving them as important open space in which town residents, workers and visitors can relax and take exercise."
Pictured: Constable Crowcroft wants to protect all town parks from being built on.
He concluded his proposition saying that if the Minister for Health and Social Services is "working behind the scenes to find a combination of separate areas of open space whose sum will equal or even surpass the size of People’s Park," it seems inconceivable that such a package would be acceptable to the majority of islanders, let alone to St. Helier parishioners.
"The importance of People’s Park lies in its being a single area of open space with an attractive wooded backdrop and views down to the sea and Elizabeth Castle, a park which is accessible, versatile and robust," the Constable argued. "There is nowhere else like it."
The Constable said that while there is "nowhere else" like People's Park, there are alternative sites for the new hospital. He also reminded fellow States Members that the improvement of St. Helier is a priority of the States.
"People’s Park is a vital part of what St. Helier offers the people of Jersey, and the States are accordingly asked to send a clear message to the Minister for Health and Social Services that it is not to be built upon," he wrote.
The debate over the Future Hospital site will take place this Tuesday.
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