Simon Crowcroft has raised concerns about the proposals which would see Westmount Road used as the preferred access route for Overdale and called for greater clarity on ministerial plans for the surrounding area.
Concerns have been raised by Islanders, including nearby residents groups, about the impact on housing, the People’s Park and traffic congestion in town.
Mr Crowcroft said that the current arrangements being mooted were ‘unsatisfactory’ and did nothing to allay the ‘worst fears’ of some parishioners.
Deputy Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham, who is leading the political oversight group for the project, said that what was being planned would be a ‘significant improvement’ to the current road during this week’s States sitting adding that the plans would have ‘absolute minimal impact on [the] People’s Park’.
Speaking to the JEP, Senator Farnham said: ‘If the proposed access route is agreed, there will be a minimal impact on the green space on the People’s Park, meaning it can continue to host all of the usual annual events our Island community has become accustomed to. The main impact will be the reduction in the car parking around the park, to make way for a wider, two-way road. There could be a small amount of green space lost along the border of Westmount Road, but this will be kept to an absolute minimum. And within the proposal are plans to replace any trees which may need to be removed.
‘It should also be noted that the proposal to access the new hospital via Westmount Road has the least environmental impact out of all of the workable key access proposals.’
Meanwhile, Mr Crowcroft has raised numerous concerns regarding the proposed access arrangements for the project – including the widening of the road.
‘It would be a huge increase to what is a scenic parish road, and I hope the worst fears of the campaigners won’t be realised in terms of the surrounding land,’ he said.
‘The impact on the area will be huge and the access arrangements are unsatisfactory – the current road works. There will be congestion problems anyway as that part of town is usually congested and that is something that should have been sorted out beforehand.’
The Friends of Our New Hospital – a campaign group criticising the site selection process for the hospital – has been conducting walks up Westmount Road starting from the bowling green at 11am each day, to gather information on the site prior to the debate.
Westmount also holds historical ties with the Battle of Jersey in 1781, as it was the hill from which Major Peirson – having marched the 95th Regiment to Mont Patibulaire as it was known at the time – was able to direct his forces into a victorious attack on the French.
‘The area has significant heritage value and these are the things that will score highly when it goes through the planning process,’ said the Constable. ‘If there is a choice between losing important heritage assets by creating a UK highway or preserving them with a more modest proposal, I think that could play a factor.
‘There is also a geological challenge involved. One of the big discussions between the parish and Dandara when the Westmount apartments were built was about the stability of the cliffs.
‘As a Scrutiny Panel member I need to consider the evidence and take a collective view ahead of the debate, as Constable I will press for minimising damage created by the proposed access – such as a one-way solution.’
When asked what his preferred alternative route would be if the proposition was rejected, Senator Farnham said the reality was ‘there is no perfect site’.
‘This means there is no perfect access solution. If this proposal is rejected, then an alternative must be found, but all others come with even greater compromises, such as the need to purchase more land and homes, the need for traffic to exit the site past two schools or putting emergency service response times at risk.’
The Senator is due to appear before the Future Hospital Review Panel this morning. The proposition on the preferred access route is due to be debated by the States Assembly on Tuesday 9 February.
