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WQ.285/2020
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER
BY DEPUTY J.H. PERCHARD OF ST. SAVIOUR ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 8th SEPTEMBER 2020
Question
Will the Chief Minister advise –
- which of the shortlisted hospital sites, if any, would require residents to leave their homes in order for the new hospital to be built;
- whether it is planned that compulsory purchase orders will be issued in the event that any resident does not wish to leave their home;
- how many people, if any, it is envisaged would need to leave their home for the new hospital to be built on the Five Oaks site;
- whether any residents have been approached in relation to selling their home, having their home valued, or expressing their view on the placement of the new hospital on the Five Oaks site by any member or official of the Government or any person employed to work on any aspect of the new hospital development outside of Government or any person engaged informally on the matter; and
- if so, who has approached these residents, under whose instruction did they do so and what those instructions were?
Answer
- It is not the Government of Jersey preferred approach to require residents to leave their homes in order for the new hospital to be built. As announced last week, the shortlist of locations under consideration for the hospital has been reduced from 5 sites to 2 and these are Overdale and People's Park. Detailed technical assessments are being undertaken on the two remaining sites and once this work is completed, it will be possible to confirm whether any residential properties will be directly affected.
- It is hoped that any acquisition of land or property needed for the Our Hospital project can be achieved through negotiation and agreement. However, in some circumstances existing covenants or title issues may mean that compulsory purchase may be needed to acquire property to assemble a hospital site. Compulsory purchase that will require residents to leave their homes will not be the preferred approach of the Government of Jersey.
- The Five Oaks site is no longer being considered for the Our Hospital project.
- All the residents directly affected by the suggested site at Five Oaks were contacted prior to the original shortlist being announced. However, the Five Oaks site is no longer being considered.
- The residents at Five Oaks were approached by a professional land agent acting on behalf of the Our Hospital project team. The land agent was instructed to inform the residents of the pending announcement of the shortlist. No agent or representative of the Government was instructed to inform owners that their property could be compulsory purchased.