Future Hospital Waterfront site (FOI)

Request

On 26 February, the JEP printed Q & A from the Future Hospital team which, they tell me, was sent via Mr Bernard Place. He states that with reference to the Waterfront site, the Planning inspector said that it was an unsuitable site due to the fact that 'the scale of the building required would not be acceptable because of the impact on its surroundings'.

Can you please tell me where I can find it recorded that the Planning Inspector said this, what date and where?

Response

This was not a direct quote from Mr. Bernard Place. It was a collection of answers provided to the JEP by the Project Team in response to topics raised by their readers.

The answer referred to the Planning Inspector in error. It was the Planning Department who had set out the response in planning terms of the impact of a large scale hospital building on the Waterfront. This was in a letter to the Future Hospital Project in 2015 assessing the shortlisted sites. This letter is an appendix to the 2015 Site Options Appraisal (Waterfront is on page 18).

Future Hospital site option report (Appendix 7 - Town planning assessment)

The letter notes:

“Off-site impacts (strongly negative)”.

“The scale and form would have the visual and physical effect of cutting-off St Helier from the sea, and the visual impact from around St Aubin’s Bay would be severe for long views and strategic approaches to St Helier”.

“Heritage impacts (negative)”.

“The scale of the proposed buildings is so large that they may be considered to have a negative impact on the setting of Elizabeth Castle in mid-distance views of the harbour area”.