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Written Submission from member of public re Future Hospital Site 9th October 2020
Dear Mr Crowcroft
I read in the JEP today of your support for Overdale as the site of the new hospital pending relocation of the Jersey bowling club as the only outstanding issue noting you have met with them regarding their leasehold.
Leaving aside the astronomical debt left to future generations, I am shocked and disappointed that you have forgotten about the homeowners and residents of Westmount, particularly Hillcrest where 3 homes are to be destroyed! One of them built less than 3 years ago.
As a neighbourhood we have been completely ignored by you and your colleagues throughout this process.
Our currently peaceful location will be sandwiched between a busy road of ambulances, buses and pedestrians of all sorts to the south and a parking lot to the north on what is in use agricultural land. A parking garage will be a blight on the St Helier cliff edge and an eye sore for all.
Our homes will be directly on this new and illogical busy thoroughfare to the hospital. The value and enjoyment of our homes and safety of our children navigating through this will greatly diminish. However, you don't see that as an issue to be resolved?
Certainly, the safer choice for ambulances, buses and pedestrians as well as construction vehicles to approach is from the inner road which is a straight path and not winding up a steep hill taking additional time to drive around the very park you have saved, Peoples Park. How many lives will be lost or irreparable health issues occur due to this extra time to for ambulances to arrive at the hospital? How many accidents will occur with such poor access in both directions for the hospital?
Why is saving the King George cottages more important than saving Hillcrest homes? We live and work in St Helier, pay taxes and support the local economy in many ways. We deserve to be represented too.
Our neighbourhood is currently in shock at the news this week about the sudden change in access point to Overdale and we are discussing as a group this weekend. While we were aware of the decision not to demolish the King George cottages, we thought the States would still use the safest and most accessible route for all islanders (no matter which direction they come from) using the inner road which is straight, wide and provides easy access from the west and east. After all, this hospital is for all of Jersey. It should not be about the path of least resistance politically.
We will be in contact with the States shortly. In the meantime, I ask that you apply the same passion that you so admirably displayed to save the parks to your constituents and tax payers. We need your support!
Thank you.
Tamara Vanmeggelen
Dear Ms. Moore and Mr. Morel ,
I understand you are both part of the Scrutiny panel reviewing due process on the hospital site proposal. Unfortunately, the residents of Hillcrest and Castleview were not contacted prior to the announced plans this week to change access to the proposed Overdale site through Westmount Road. Please see my email below addressed to Simon Crowcroft . Our neighbours at Castleview have sent a similar message to him. We are awaiting Mr. Crowcroft 's response before escalating our concerns as a group further. However, I thought it important that you were aware of this breach in due process as part of your scrutiny duties.
There are several proposed access routes to Overdale. On a broader and related issue, we would like confirmation that access through Westmount Road is truly the safest and most expedient way for all to travel to their future hospital. I have no doubt you will be focussing on this issue as part of your review.
Please do contact me should you require any further information. Thank you.
Thank you for forwarding this correspondence on to us. May I just check that you would be content do us to pass your emails on to the scrutiny panel for contribution as a formal submission please?
Our submissions will be posted on our website, however if you prefer we can withhold your identity. I would be grateful if you would confirm.
Kind regards, Kristina
Thank you for informing us of the situation with regard to Hillcrest and Castleview.
For the panel's information and to help us inform questions to ministers, can you confirm that you were not contacted at any time by the hospital team and so had no idea that your properties were part of the hospital plans?
Kind regards Kirsten
Thank you for your emails. I can confirm that I was not contacted at any time by the hospital team.
You may pass my email on to the Scrutiny panel, however, as you have advised it will be published on the website, please withhold my email address, house address and phone number on the website. For clarity, you can include my name.