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One reader has suggested a cheaper scheme for the new hospital, achieved by scrapping the 'super-highway' plan and going in a different direction.
Here's what he had to say...
When States Members decided to build a new hospital, the current site was chosen as the preferred site. Surrounding property was purchased, but the plans were turned down by Planning.
After the last elections, the Members decided a new site had to be found. It was at this point that the Chief Minister delegated getting the hospital built to Senator Farnham.
The previous sites were looked at again and Overdale chosen as the new site. The reasons given were various for not choosing the other sites but construction costs were not considered. In the earlier stage of the process there were concerns that the selection process itself was “procedurally flawed”.
Pictured: Westmount Road needs to be widened to allow access to the hospital site.
Overdale, it has turned out, needs a new wide road at a cost of £15m-plus. The movement of all the other facilities to Quennevais is now required costing some £15m and delaying the hospital start by another year. Senator Farham has stated several times that delay will increase the costs so why is he moving the present facilities?
The Overdale site has had a rock stabilisation on Westmont Road, which hold up part of the proposed building site. No assessment has been made of how this could affect the new hospital construction. The Overdale site has somewhere around £60m extra costs that the other sites considered did not have.
If Overdale is to be used, a new scheme would be more economic by Ambulances entering the site off the Inner Road with triage here and building tiered backwards to hide the big structure proposed.
This would mean £15m for a new road and the present buildings would not have to be demolished and moved to Les Quennevais, again saving more than £15m and not disturbing the present services and not requiring patients a long drive to the proposed location.
The Bowling Club would not have to be moved, the top of the site could be used as a mini village and accommodation for the staff that cannot afford to live on the island plus parking for the facilities already there. Parking for hospital staff could be just off the Inner Road.
Bill White
Les Genets, Le Mont de Rozel
