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3.10 Deputy J.A. Martin of the Minister for Treasury and Resources regarding the creation of an additional storey of car parking spaces at Green Street:
It does look very similar to the first question but I am going to ask it anyway. Given that the creation of an additional storey of car parking spaces at Green Street was a condition of the planning permission for the Police Headquarters, can the Minister explain why this is not being built first?
Deputy E.J. Noel of St. Lawrence (Assistant Minister for Treasury and Resources - rapporteur):
I understand Deputy Martin's concerns over the car parking and can assure her that the additional spaces will be developed in parallel with the development of the Police Headquarters. This is in full compliance with planning condition 26 which requires the provision of additional car parking spaces prior to the first occupation of the Police Headquarters. Building the extension first would delay the Police Headquarters project by a 6-month construction period which would in turn incur additional costs through inflation. By combining the 2 contracts we will also enable the selected contractor to reduce overhead costs through the sharing of equipment and facilities between both parts of the project and provide the space for a single contractor to co-ordinate and manage the works. There are, therefore, sound reasons why these works should take place together as part of the same contract. While the final programme will be provided by the contractor, it is currently envisaged that the 6-month car park project will take place early in the overall project and will allow the additional 64 spaces to be brought into use before the Police Headquarters have been completed. This approach complies with what we have been asked to do as part of the planning process; they will not further delay the development of the Island's first purpose built Police Headquarters and will result in an efficient construction process.
- Deputy J.A. Martin:
Just a supplementary, can the Assistant Minister confirm that the tender that is out now to contractors does include the building of the 64 spaces of Green Street car park which was an answer to a written question I asked 2 weeks ago?
Deputy E.J. Noel:
Yes, we have got tenders out to 4 contractors: 3 are local contractors and one consortium of local contractors and this is for the combined project.
- Deputy M.R. Higgins:
Can the Assistant Minister tell us that during the period of construction how many car parking spaces are going to be denied to members of the public while the work is going on?
Deputy E.J. Noel:
The amounts of spaces that are going to be occupied while the works are carried on will vary throughout the period of construction. As I said, hopefully within the first 6 months the extension to the Green Street car park which will produce 64 spaces, which is 11 more than are supplied to this Assembly, will hopefully be available in the summer of 2015.
- Deputy M.R. Higgins:
The Minister did not answer the question. I said while the construction was going on of the new police station and the extension to the car park, how many car parking spaces are going to be denied to the public while the construction is going on?
Deputy E.J. Noel:
The Deputy 's hearing cannot be as good as some other Members because I did answer that part of the question. It will vary throughout the length of the contract.
- Deputy J.H. Young:
The Minister has explained the phasing of this particular project on the need to have a single contract for both the Police Headquarters and the extension to the car park and the issue of costs. Is he able to tell us what he has budgeted overall, the combined budget of the scheme will be, i.e. what the extra cost will be?
Deputy E.J. Noel:
The extra cost of building the 64 additional spaces is still budgeted at £1.5 million, as has already gone into the 2014 Capital Programme.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
The Assistant Minister talks about the efficient construction and that the tender has gone out to a number of firms. Can he confirm that this tender includes the requirement for the contractor to design an access programme for materials and machinery to the site?
Deputy E.J. Noel:
Yes.
- Senator S.C. Ferguson:
A supplementary: but is this not normally done by the developer before the tender is put out to contractors?
Deputy E.J. Noel:
No, the Senator is mistaken there; it is a part for the contractors to come up and is one of the things that we consider whether or not to award the contract to a contractor or another.
- Deputy J.A.N. Le Fondré:
Given that the expenditure that the Assistant Minister just referred to ... The Bailiff :
Deputy Maçon has just volunteered a sum for the Christmas appeal. Deputy J.A.N. Le Fondré:
I was going to say which was about £1.5 million, but obviously we can reduce that by £20, I think. On the extra storey as a direct outcome of the project, i.e. as a condition of the planning permit, is the expenditure accounted for as part of the total capital cost of the project and is it included in the project?
Deputy E.J. Noel:
No. The additional costs for the car park was a direct result of a decision by the Assembly so, therefore, it is an additional £1.5 million on top of the budget already allocated for the police station.
The Bailiff :
Very well, do you wish a final question, Deputy Martin? Then that completes Questions on Notice but, as Members will be aware, I have allowed certain urgent questions.