Chief minister asked to pause new hospital land purchase

The Constable of St Helier has asked the outgoing chief minister not to proceed with a compulsory purchase of land for the new hospital.

Simon Crowcroft said the new government and parishioners needed time to consider the purchase plans.

In December 2021, the parish rejected an offer of £6.5m plus a land swap for a local bowling club.

In the new offer, Mr Crowcroft said the government offered more than £1m less - £5.2m - and no "land swap".

The parish received 11 compulsory purchase notices on Tuesday 21 June, the day before the 2022 election, giving it eight days to respond.

Mr Crowcroft has written to John Le Fondre and has said the offer was "extremely disappointing and concerning".

Plans to build the new hospital at Overdale were approved in May 2022, with work expected to begin in January 2023.

The government wants to purchase the land leading up to the site, including car parking along people's park, the bowling club, and other "various areas".

Mr Crowcroft said: "Not only is the offer more than £1m less than the offer previously received and rejected by a Parish Assembly, but Government has also withdrawn its offer of a land swap for the land currently occupied by the Jersey Bowling Club; they are now simply offering a relatively small financial sum of compensation for the land.

"This would effectively end the 100+-year-old relationship between the parish and the Jersey Bowling Club, which is entirely unacceptable."

The parish CEO Jason Turner said having received the compulsory purchase notices "immediately" before the election, responding with a parish assembly would not have been "possible or practical".

Mr Turner requested to hold a parish assembly on 13 July for parishioners to consider the notice.

Mr Crowcroft said the new government should be given the opportunity to provide input.

He said: "I am aware that many newly-elected members, whilst supportive of the need for a new hospital, are not supportive of the development of Westmount Road into a 'super highway'.

"It is only right and proper that we pause for a few days whilst the transition to the new government is completed."

The chief minister was unavailable for comment.

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