A meeting was held on Wednesday [28 October] night where a number of people living in the area met Deputy Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham, who has political responsiblity for the project, to raise their concerns over the potential development.
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, as well as St Helier 3/4 Deputies Ahier, Mike Higgins, Mary Le Hegarat and Inna Gardiner, attended the meeting.
Deputy Ahier said: ‘It was a preliminary meeting where residents voiced their concerns about the site and the demolition of three properties, as well as possible structural impact this could have on other properties,’ he said.
‘Going forward if the decision is made by the Assembly to approve Overdale, then there will be numerous meetings between residents, the developer and the minister, like there was with the Gloucester Street site.
‘With regard to the People’s Park I am concerned about the impact on it – I understand that the parking alongside it will be lost.
‘The relocation of the Jersey Bowling Club to a new home is also important.’
States Members are due to vote on approving ministers’ choice of Overdale as the site for the hospital on 17 November.
Mr Crowcroft said that ‘a lot of reassurance’ would need to be provided to Members about the impact on Overdale residents ahead of that vote.
‘There are concerns about the impact on the People’s Park, which could be affected by the development of a new road. There is also the matter of the relocation of the Jersey Bowling Club,’ he said.
‘In the next fortnight before the States debate the Deputy Chief Minister is going to have to provide quite a lot of reassurance on these issues to reassure States Members. In particular for St Helier’s elected representatives, who are going to want to have make sure that their residents are being looked after.’
