However, the debate was criticised by some Members for wasting States time.
Members had adjourned on Wednesday after suggestions that Les Quennevais Sports Centre and South Hill Gardens could both reach the planning stage.
Senator Steve Pallett’s original proposition requested that the new skate park be located at Les Quennevais. However, an amendment lodged by Economic Development Minister Lyndon Farnham substituted this for South Hill, with ‘satellite facilities in the west and east of the Island’.
But both proposals were subsequently withdrawn yesterday with the view to planning applications being lodged for the main facility at both potential sites with satellite park elsewhere in the Island.
Overnight on Wednesday emails between Senators Farnham and Pallett had been circulated to Members before yesterday’s sitting resumed. Senator Pallett called the agreement a ‘compromise’, while Senator Farnham said the discussions had been ‘constructive’.
Senator Farnham said they aimed to submit both applications by the end of February. Les Quennevais was likely to go first ‘because it is far more advanced’, he said, while potential planning challenges with South Hill meant it ‘might be sensible’ to submit an outline application.
He said: ‘Both applications would be for a main skate park facility, although they would differ in size and style. We will have to assess the total cost and, if required, we can repurpose funds from our budget.’
On Wednesday, concerns were raised by Members representing the eastern parishes that they were being ignored in plans.
Senator Pallett said his intention throughout had been to ensure that the community ‘finally get a skate park they deserve’, adding: ‘I have tried to be open and transparent in everything I have done.’
There was vocal opposition from some Members over withdrawing the proposition.
Deputy Rob Ward said that States Assembly time had been ‘completely wasted’, while Senator Sam Mézec called the last few days a ‘complete shambles’. Deputy Montfort Tadier accused the government of sidelining the States and said the events showed ‘this government is in complete disarray’.
The issue of governance was also raised, with St Mary Constable John Le Bailly saying: ‘We have been elected to make decisions, not to wave this off to Planning, hoping that our civil servants will make that decision in order to let politicians off the hook’.
However, Deputy Kirsten Morel said it was an ‘inescapable reality’ that withdrawing the proposition was ‘the better way forward’, and that they should hedge their bets.
In his closing speech, Senator Pallett said: ‘I sense a great deal of frustration from my colleagues and understandably so. We just need to get on with this. In a time when we have had so much doom and gloom with the pandemic, this should be a ray of light.’
