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STATEMENT TO BE MADE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE COMMITTEE ON 1st NOVEMBER 2005
In a Report and Proposition (P.93/1999) the States agreed to transfer the sum of £3m from the Strategic Reserve to the Tourism Development Fund for the redevelopment of Mont Orgueil Castle.
One of the six elements identified in that Report and Proposition was the development of a new overspill' car park at La Crete. No particular costs were attached to this item within the Report and Proposition although the sum of £100,000 from within the overall £3m was earmarked' by the Jersey Heritage Trust (JHT) for this development.
In January 2002 the Public Services Department informed JHT that while the quarry would be available from January 2004, they would reserve the right to reclaim it at any time for emergency refuse storage. The Public Services Department also declined to operate a park and ride. JHT therefore decided to commission further research into the traffic problem.
A car parking research project was conducted in August 2002. The project concluded that, although some small steps could be taken to improve the situation, as far as castle visitors are concerned parking was not a problem. The survey's results and conclusions were included in the Mont Orgueil Development Strategy published as part of the Trust's formal planning application to the Environment and Public Services Committee in January 2003. Following that Committee's approval of the application in August 2003, the JHT confirmed to PSD that there were no plans to operate a park and ride scheme at La Crete.
Between 1999 and 2002 lengthy public debate took place and the scheme was amended to include a substantial amount of additional repair work to the historic fabric, further archaeological investigation and conservation planning. These were not envisaged at the point of P.93 being approved.
Accordingly, on 12th September 2005, the Jersey Heritage Trust reported to my Committee that such a car park was no longer considered to be a requirement and requested my Committee to consider reallocating the £100,000 to other important work within the overall project.
Although the Committee carries States responsibility for cultural matters and is the conduit for States funding to the Jersey Heritage Trust, my Committee was mindful that in this instance, the funding originated as a grant from the Tourism Development Fund, and therefore, it did not feel that it would be appropriate for the Committee to take this decision without consultation with the Tourism Development Board.
I can now confirm however, that having attended a meeting of the Board on 24th October 2005, the Board is supportive of the Jersey Heritage Trust proposal and therefore my Committee is pleased to agree to the reallocation of the £100,000 within the Mont Orgueil Project Budget.