The hilltop site, which has consistently been in the running during the decade-long future-hospital saga, secured almost 50% of the more than 4,100 votes cast.
The People’s Park – the most divisive of the sites in the recently announced shortlist of five – came second with 27%.
Fields near the former JEP offices at Five Oaks came third with 12%, while Millbrook playing field, which is currently home to the Nightingale Wing, and fields on the other side of the Inner Road, came fourth with 11%.
St Andrew’s Park at First Tower came a distant fifth, receiving 2% of the votes.
All the sites, which were revealed on Monday, will be assessed over the summer before a preferred location is put to the States later in the year.
The project team hopes to be able to secure planning permission around the end of 2021, start construction in 2022 and complete the build by 2026.
Meanwhile, the Our Hospital Shortlisting Report, released yesterday, has revealed that building on the Waterfront or the current hospital site was discounted because the locations were considered too small.
A new hospital on the grounds of the current facility and spreading onto the site of nearby buildings in Kensington Place, as previously considered, would have been big enough, the report concluded, but moving existing services elsewhere would create unacceptable delays.
Commenting on the poll, Assistant Health Minister Hugh Raymond, deputy chairman of the Our Hospital Political Oversight Group, said: ‘It doesn’t surprise me that Overdale has come out on top.
‘From a personal point of view, it is easier to develop the People’s Park than it is Overdale. But at Overdale you also have a lot of stuff that you need at a hospital. You are already part of the way there, if you like. However, we would have to sort out the access issues.’
The Deputy, who was not involved in compiling the shortlist, added: ‘My feeling, as a member of the POG, is that Overdale is more than likely the most sensible site.’
Discussing the other options, he said: ‘If you want perfection in terms of development, then Five Oaks is it. But the problem is that we would have to buy half of Five Oaks first. And the transport and routing issues would be horrendous.
‘And with regard to Millbrook, in my experience it is very expensive to get hold of land that has been left in trust.’
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft has already lodged a proposition calling for St Andrew’s Park to be protected from development. He also moved to remind ministers that the States last year voted to take the People’s Park off the table.
The Shortlisting Report revealed that St Saviour’s Hospital was considered a ‘difficult and unsustainable location’.
The report added: ‘The impact of the building on the character of the area would be harmful and there would be a loss of a significant heritage asset.’
Warwick Farm – another site mooted by Islanders as a possible location – was discounted as it, too, was considered ‘a difficult and unsustainable location’ and a hospital would have harmed the character of the area, according to the report.
