Progress is being made on plans to turn the former King Edward VII hospital into a private care home, with meetings held this week on the topic – but it’s looking increasingly unlikely to open next year, as originally planned.
Answering questions in the States, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez revealed that her Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) had discussed the matter on Tuesday.
The P&R President said she spoke with the Health and Social Care (HSC) President the same day, but she hadn’t yet had a chance to update the Employment and Social Security (ESS) President on progress.
The three committees are all involved with the project as it involves the management of States-owned property, the provision of health and social care, and the care of elderly people with Deputy de Sausmarez describing them as “key stakeholders” in the ‘Supported Living and Ageing Well Strategy’ (SLAWS).
Denying that progress had been slow, Deputy de Sausmarez said work on a policy letter has been underway since it was announced in June last year that the States would go into partnership with CI Healthcare to redevelop the former hospital into a 33-bed care home.
The £5m privately funded redevelopment of the site was backed by the States, and planning permission was given for demolition work to start in September last year, but nothing else has happened since.
At the time, P&R said that removing one of the roadside buildings would allow new vehicle and pedestrian access to be created ahead of the new care home opening in 2027.
With just ten weeks to go before we enter 2027, Deputy Rhona Humphreys asked Deputy de Sausmarez for an update during this week’s States meeting.
“With no obvious activity on site, what are the obstacles preventing progress on this
much-needed residential home?,” she queried.
Deputy de Sausmarez then revealed that progress had been made, and that she expects the States will be voting on the redevelopment again before the end of this year.
“The Policy and Resources Committee has, on the 20th of October, considered a draft policy letter about this part of the King Edward VII site, which it intends to lodge shortly,” the P&R President revealed.
“Because the matter is subject to ongoing commercial discussions, I cannot go into any further details at this stage.”
Pushed for clarity on “how shortly, shortly is”, Deputy de Sausmarez compared herself to “a hostage to fortune”.
“We are hoping it’s going to be very shortly, as in within the next few weeks,” she said.
“And although this does hold me hostage to fortune, we are hoping to be able to debate it this year.”
Pushed further on why there has been no visible progress on developing a private care home on the site, Deputy de Sausmarez said a policy letter needs to be put to the States for a vote, and that she believes work has progressed quickly on that.
Deputy George Oswald asked when HSC will be able to comment on that policy letter, revealing that the proposed plans have caused them “some concern” already.
Deputy de Sausmarez confirmed again that both HSC and ESS would be consulted on the plans, and that the policy letter won’t be published until feedback has been received from both committees.
Becoming increasingly tetchy as she faced further questions on the subject, Deputy de Sausmarez insisted that the overall aim had not changed – but there had been some hurdles to overcome.
“The agreement in principle was made in June 2025, and that has not changed,” she said. “That has not wavered – we’ve been working towards delivering on that ever since.
“The issue is that the conversations that Deputy St Pier will be aware of, and the way of achieving that, is not the way that the committee believes can achieve that aim.
“So there has been a lot in the very detailed consultation and commercial discussions with the provider, we are putting forward a different proposal of how to achieve that aim, and that is what has taken the time.
“It’s been a complex series of conversations and negotiations, and they have informed the policy letter.
“I’d ask the assembly’s patience [as] depending on the consultation feedback, we’re hoping to be in a position to publish that policy letter in the relatively near future, and everything at that stage will be much clearer.”
