The provision of underground parking beneath the Town Park

1240/5(5387)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 25th MAY 2010

Question

"Will the Minister explain to members whether he considers the provision of underground parking beneath the Town Park for up to 200 cars at a cost of around £9/10m to be good value for money?

Notwithstanding the above response will he state why he considers that the provision of underground parking on this site is essential to the North of Town Masterplan?

Will the Minister inform members where the exact site of this underground parking is; what depth of the contaminated soil is on this location; what depth of the impermeable clay layer below this is, and what depth of excavation is required for the underground car park?

Can he assure members that the costs of remediation of the site are not significantly increased by the additional excavation needed for the underground car park?

Will the Minister further assure members that the excavation of an underground car park will not require a new Environmental or Health Impact Assessment, or otherwise cause any delay in the completion of the Park?

Will the Minister further assure members that the cost of provision of the underground car park will not be taken from the £10m already allocated to the creation of the Park?"

Answer

1. While the costs are provisional and will berefined, I considerthat, although it would be cheaper to provide car parksaboveground, the benefitsof placing them underground are the significant urbandesign improvements that result, and it allows the spaceabovetobe used for anotherpurpose. Whetherit represents good value for money will no doubt betaken into accountby the States when they debate the Masterplan
2. It is imperative that most ofthe displaced existing shopper and commuter parking needs to bereplaced, and if it is providedon another siteatgradeoraboveground,it negates any return the States might achieve through alternative developmentof that site. The States has already rejected the developmentof an above-ground multi-storey car park at AnnCourt.Aslongasthe cost of underground provision is recovered by the receipts from development of States land then providing underground parking is worthwhile.
3. Now that I have assured Members that there will notbe housing on the eastern end of the TownPark, the manner inwhich the car parking will be configured has to bereconsidered. Until this is done, the question cannotbeanswered.
4. There is contamination in only two areasof the Gas Place site. The impermeableclaylayeris variable between 1 and 8 metres below the surface. The depth of excavation is likely to benomore than 5 metres.
5. It is proposed that remediation ofthewholeGasPlaceandTalman sites will be undertaken as the first step in delivering theTownPark. That workhas been tenderedand will commencelater this year,and will be followed by construction ofmost the Town Park in2011.
6. I cannot give anassurance at this stage that the provision of a partial or whollyundergroundlevelofcar

parking will not necessitate further Environmental or Health Impact Assessment.

7. The £10m States contribution to theTown Park willnotbe taken from the cost of providingtheTown Park.