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WQ.478/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE BY THE CONNÉTABLE OF ST. BRELADE
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2019
Question
Given the granite façade of the old Newgate Street prison has been in Government storage since 1974 on the basis that it be kept for some future project, will the Minister agree to take action and request that the granite form part of a new States structure or, if not, agree to its disposal to the highest bidder within the next 12 months?
Answer
Over the years, there have been a number of suggestions as to the re-use of the Newgate Street prison façade, from Cyril Le Marquand House, the Public Library and the Magistrate's Court to, more recently, the future hospital. The barriers to such re-use seems to have been cost and architectural style.
We are informed that, despite some opinions to the contrary, the granite blocks are all present and in good condition and could therefore be incorporated in the design of an appropriate Public building. The challenge is that modern designs tend not to be of the same scale as the prison and accommodating the arches would result in an imbalanced and anachronistic appearance.
An alternative to reconstructing the façade as part of a single building would be to split it over two or three, although this would dilute the imposing nature of the original.
Reuse of the façade continues to be considered for possible use in either of the two major build projects (the new hospital and the new Government offices) in the near future.