The location of the facility has been a controversial topic of late, with civil servants having undertaken a feasibility study on the St Helier site, despite the St Brelade location coming out as the favoured option following a public consultation last year.
South Hill was also rejected when a study of 15 different areas was carried out in 2019. Les Quennevais was deemed to be the best site.
In recent weeks, both Assistant Economic Development Minister Hugh Raymond and his predecessor, Senator Steve Pallett, have publicly backed Les Quennevais.
Now Senator Pallett, who resigned from his ministerial role in November, has lodged a States proposition aiming to finalise the matter.
If approved, his proposals would confirm Les Quennevais Sports Centre as the site and require Infrastructure Minister Kevin Lewis to bring forward a formal planning application by 26 February.
The report outlining his proposal says that extensive work was carried out two years ago to establish the best location.
It says: ‘At the point I resigned as [minister] with delegated responsibility for sport in November 2020, I had not received the review of South Hill as an alternative site for a new skate park.
‘But in reality I believed such a report would only confirm the underlying issues set out with the original site suitability report and rule the site out rather than rule it in.’
It adds: ‘To briefly comment on South Hill, this site was one of 15 sites originally assessed in the SSR which assessed Les Quennevais Sports Centre as the most suitable site for a new skate park.
‘Although South Hill is States-owned land with no covenants and in the built-up zone, it is also protected open space, in the hazardous installation outer safety zone and regeneration zone, which is likely to create problems.
‘South Hill Park is itself a grade-two listed place and even on a good day is exposed and open to the prevailing elements. The closest toilets are situated at La Folie and there are no food or drink outlets in the vicinity.’
Opponents of the Les Quennevais site, including Jersey Sport chief executive Catriona McAllister, have said that it is ‘out of the way’ and could have lighting issues.
The proposition is due to be debated on 9 February.
