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Deputy Adrian Gabriel, one of the requêrants attempting to prevent key worker housing being built on a hospital field, has said replies to his Rule 14 questions reveal “worrying numbers for the States”.
The Duchess of Kent buildings, which are adjacent to the requête field, were revealed by Deputy Peter Ferbrache to have last been surveyed in 2017 and it identified a backlog maintenance spend of £375,000.
That survey also estimated that the cost of maintaining the building for 10-years could cost over £4m, including £1.3m to rewire the buildings in 2031.
Deputy Gabriel has questioned why public money should be used to maintain a building which could be economically redundant by the end of the decade and would prefer to see it repurposed for housing instead.
But in his responses, Deputy Ferbrache reiterated claims that the building is expected to continue to be used for HSC staff whilst the hospital is upgraded and beyond.
“While the site has been identified as a future possible expansion site for the PEH, given the timescale little detail has been developed on the specific uses, with the best options for the site assessed if it became available,” he said.
Pictured: The 14 sites identified by the States Property Unit for key worker accommodation close to the PEH campus.
Deputy Gabriel also raised concerns over why the Duchess of Kent site was not even considered by the States Property Unit.
Deputy Ferbrache insisted that Duchess of Kent was not ranked since “it did not meet the essential criteria for delivery within five years".
That criteria was defined as sites that could provide at least 70 units of accommodation, deliverable in no more than five years, and within a kilometer of the hospital campus.
Conversely, Deputy Ferbrache claimed that housing could be delivered on the adjacent field “within two to three years” but with several caveats, including the possible passing of the rêquete which would require proposals to be brought back to the States.
“There are many factors that go into delivering construction projects and timescales will depend on many factors that cannot be determined at this time and will reflect the context at that time.”
Deputy Gabriel said the selection criteria is “narrow,” and expressed further concern that of the alternative sites identified, at least nine were greenfield sites.
“In the requêrants opinion, active greenfield sites and especially those in an Agricultural Priority Area should not even be considered for building the much needed key worker housing, but these should be built on brownfield sites instead,” he said.
Pictured (top): Deputy Adrian Gabriel (left) and Deputy Peter Ferbrache.
HSC wants more staff units at PEH
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