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WQ.110/2024
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE BY DEPUTY D.J. WARR OF ST. HELIER SOUTH
QUESTION SUBMITTED ON TUESDAY 2nd APRIL 2024 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 9th APRIL 2024
Question
“Following the demolition of a number of premises in Kensington Place and the subsequent boarding up of the site, will the Minister consider converting this site into a temporary car park to increase footfall and to assist businesses in this part of St. Helier ; and if not, why not?”
Answer
This site is identified for use as part of the New Healthcare Facilities Programme (NHFP), and there are no current plans to convert this site into a temporary car parking facility. Any temporary use of the site outside of the immediate control of Health and Community Services and the programme team represents a potential risk of delay to programme delivery.
Having liaised with the Minister for Health and Social Services, I understand that the temporary use for the site will be for facilities to improve working conditions for health staff working at the General Hospital and that ground investigations are currently being undertaken on the site.
In addition, the use of the site for parking (and therefore potential sources of flame due to smoking and vehicles, emissions, noise, etc.) within the immediate borders of the General Hospital site presents some issues, such as the proximity to the medical gases bottle store and sensitive healthcare facilities, including the mortuary drop off and pick up, pathology and day case theatres. Fuel interceptors may also be required to prevent any potential spills or leaks from contaminating the ground and entering the drainage system. Mitigating these issues would likely result in additional cost to programme delivery. Any parking which could be proposed would be linked to operational service vehicles with the possibility of some emergency staff parking. This would however be subject to design, consents and be only temporary whilst plans for the NHFP are progressed.
Lastly, planning consent would be required to change the use of this land, even on a temporary basis, with additional further applications required for future change of uses, resulting in potential administrative risk to delivery of the programme.