VIDEO: New hospital plans explained

Thursday 04 August 2016

More details are emerging about the Island's proposed £450million new hospital, which is due for completion in 2024.

Yesterday’s drop-in sessions at the Town Hall – one in the afternoon the other in the evening - were the first in a series of meetings Health have organised to explain why, after five-and-a-half years of searching for a new location, and £2.5million in research fees, the new hospital is being built on the site of the current one.

The Health team has also been describing what the hospital will look like, explaining how the staged building programme will work, and how it believes disruption can be kept to a minimum.

The search for a site has been a troubled one. In February Health Minister Senator Andrew Green went out to public consultation. Four sites were earmarked: the existing one on the Parade, the People’s Park, the Waterfront, and Overdale. He was on record as saying the People’s Park was his favoured option, but later withdraw the site following a public outcry, a petition, and a protest.

Originally the current site had been ruled out as impractical and expensive. At one point the proposed scheme involved 47 different phases, all whilst still trying to keep the hospital running. The new scheme sees the hospital built in one go. It’s claimed that makes the once very expensive scheme now affordable. Although, the team does say some compromises have also had to be made.

Under the proposed scheme properties to the south of the current hospital – in Kensington Place and Newgate Street – will be bought – if necessary by compulsory purchase - and demolished, so that a new building can be constructed. Whilst the work is being carried out some services will have to be re-located but it’s hoped most of the hospital will operate as normal.

To squeeze all the new facilities needed on this constricted site current planning laws will have to be relaxed so the building can be taller than is normally allowed. The department says it won’t be higher than the current chimney on the site.

The rough timeline is that the States will be asked to approve the site in Easter next year, it’ll then be two years before detailed plans can be drawn up and sent to planning, and provided they are approved work will start in 2019, with the new hospital opening in 2024.

One of the politicians at the drop in sessions has been Infrastructure Minister Deputy Eddie Noel. He says: “...there’s been a steady trickle of people coming to see the displays we’ve put on, and to chat to us. Most people seem to think the current site is the right place, and they just want us to get on with it.”

The next pop in sessions in the series are Monday 8 August, 18:00 - 20:00, St Brelade’s Parish Hall. Tuesday 16 August, 18:00 – 20:00, St John’s Parish Hall. Thursday 25 August, 18:00 – 20:00, Grouville Parish Hall.