Documents produced by the Future Hospital team have indicated that should planning permission be approved on the latest plans, the new building is expected to be operational by 2024 and fully completed in 2026.
However, during a Scrutiny panel hearing last week, Chief Minister John Le Fondré presented documents which indicated that the hospital would be completed by the end of 2027 if the Assembly agreed to press on with the current site. According to Senator Le Fondré’s timelines, any shift to a different site would trigger further delays until mid-2028.
Now, Senator Le Fondré has been asked to clear up the discrepancy and confirm whether or not the hospital project is facing delays.
Deputy Kevin Pamplin, who chairs the Future Hospital Scrutiny Review Panel, has written to the Chief Minister saying the difference is ‘concerning’.
In the letter, he said: ‘This discrepancy between the timelines for completing the hospital on the current site is concerning. So too is the discrepancy between building on the current site or finding a new site.’
Independent planning inspector Philip Staddon is currently in the process of reviewing the planning application and is expected to complete his report by early November.
The first planning application was rejected by then-Environment Minister Steve Luce following recommendations made by Mr Staddon.
Deputy Pamplin said: ‘This project has already been going on for quite a long time. I think there is a bit of to-ing and fro-ing between the Future Hospital team, who are sitting there with a mandate from the Assembly to go ahead on the current site, and those who want to explore other options.
‘The Chief Minister has said the decision will come back to the Assembly and our panel is keen to ensure there are no delays and the work and research is available before that vote.
‘Our panel will keep scrutinising it until the hospital is built but we are keen to see it move forward.’
Senator Le Fondré has previously championed the Waterfront as the site for the new hospital and admitted during last week’s hearing that he still had concerns about building on the existing hospital site.
However, he said that he was awaiting the reports from both Mr Staddon and the policy development board he set up to review the project, and that both documents would be discussed by the Council of Ministers before the final decision was put to the Assembly.
