Crematorium services may not return to Westmount if the Government is successful in moving the chapel and furnace to a new site.
Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan yesterday told a Scrutiny Panel that the burners at the Crematorium, which opened on the site of the former strangers’ cemetery in 1960, were at the end of their lives and needed replacing.
Crematorium services – which now fall within the remit of Infrastructure and Environment – are currently taking place at the Royal Jersey Showground while work takes place to build a new acute hospital at Overdale, which is scheduled to open by the end of 2028.
Cremation still takes place at Westmount.
Explaining the long-term plan, Constable Jehan said: “The burners are coming to the end of their life, so we are going to take the opportunity to see whether or not we replace the burners in their current location or provide a new facility.
“I think, with the Hospital going to the top of Westmount, it is more appropriate to find a different site for the burners and services.
“However, the gardens will not be touched: there is so much emotion attached to those gardens that they cannot be touched.”
Asked about timelines, Constable Jehan said: “This is not going to happen in this Government, but the preliminary work will happen in the next 12 months.
“We have one or two sites where it could potentially go, which would make it more efficient.”
At the panel hearing, the Infrastructure Minister added that the proposed skate park at South Hill will become a cycle proficiency centre once a new skate park opens at Fort Regent.
He also said that flags will soon appear around St Helier denoting Hoppa bus stops, and Driver and Vehicle Standards could move from its current base at La Collette to I&E’s fleet management centre at Bellozanne.