£800 million hospital fails to get backing of Jersey Government planners

Jersey's planning department has said that they cannot support the governments plan to build a new hospital at Overdale.

Planners say that the application as it stands has 'harms which are so great, they outweigh even the very significant benefits generated by the proposals'.

They also highlighted that the development "fails to demonstrate a high quality of design which conserves, protects and contributes positively to the distinctiveness of the landscape and wider setting of the site"

Some of the other issues highlighted include:

• The size, scale and location of the hospital

• A serious omission around the plans of how to dispose of the surface water which could lead to potential flooding

• Limited access to the site if you do not have a car

• Does not meet key tests set out in a specific policy relating to the new hospital included in the draft Bridging Island Plan

• The loss of two listed buildings and an area of archeological importance

• The level of access and proximity it has from St Helier's town centre

It comes as the proposals to demolish buildings at the planned site were rejected last month.

Senator Lyndon Farnham, Chair of the Our Hospital Political Oversight Group said "We note the view of the Planning Department, which highlights the challenges inherent in building a new hospital for Jersey.

He added "We will be making a full and detailed representation to the independent planning inspector at next month’s public inquiry, where we will demonstrate that the benefits of this new hospital far outweigh the potential impacts. We remain committed to delivering the new hospital on time and within budget on the Overdale site, which was approved by a vote of the States Assembly.”

You can read the full report of planning teams concerns here.