First designs of Jersey's new £710m Acute Hospital at Overdale unveiled to the public

  • ITV Channel reporter Emma Volney looks at the latest plans for Jersey's long-awaited new hospital

The first designs of Jersey's new Acute Hospital at Overdale have been unveiled to the public.

The building is set to cost upwards of £700m - with plans for all of the island's health facilities eventually topping £1bn.

A planning application is due to be submitted by the end of 2024, with building work expected to start in 2025 - it is hoped the facility will be open by 2028.

The dilapidated and unused healthcare buildings at the back of the Overdale site are already being demolished and are set to be cleared by the end of the year.

The facility will increase bed capacity in the island by 80 and include the following: an A&E department, a critical care unit, a women's and children's centre (including maternity unit), elective and emergency operating theatres, and inpatient wards.

Most inpatient beds will be single rooms with en-suite bathrooms.

Credit: Government of Jersey

Deputy Tom Binet, Jersey's Minister for Health and Social Services, said: "We are making very good progress with the development of the Acute Hospital, which I hope islanders will see reflected in the concept designs we are sharing at this stage.

"I look forward to presenting the scheme to islanders in much more detail in the coming months when we will be going out to public consultation."

Meetings will now take place to gather feedback on the designs which, the government says, will inform the next stage of the building's design.

Residents of Overdale and Kensington Place will also be invited to the next 'Neighbourhood Forum' to hear more about the project.

An island-wide consultation will then take place in May 2024 when residents will be able to give feedback on the proposals.

Deputy Binet added: "I hope that by sharing the designs at this stage means that our community can get a good sense of the fantastic new facility that is being developed.

"Engaging with key stakeholders at this stage of the process is essential to make sure we are capturing feedback from those who are more likely to be impacted by the proposals."