A PLAN to create a country park in the north of St Helier is “still in the frame”, according to the Assistant Infrastructure Minister.
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft, who is pushing for a transformation of Warwick Farm, said he hoped to start consultation and planning work later this year with a view to “moving on site” in 2026.
CBD firm Jersey Hemp’s lease of the publicly-owned site off Grande Route de St Jean is due to expire in January 2026.
Mr Crowcroft said: “A piece of work is being done at the moment to establish what steps need to be taken to set up a country park, what body will be created to administer it, what the funding requirement will be, how we are going to meet that funding requirement – obviously once I have that I will take those steps.”
He added that he would also seek public “expressions of interest” in the project.
“It’s quite an opportunity, I think, to be involved in the creation of a new country park for Jersey,” he explained, noting that there would also be consultation with people who live in the area.
“I would hope to start the consultation work and the planning work in the middle of this year and be able to start moving on site in a year’s time.”
The development of Warwick Farm as a country park was included within the Bridging Island Plan, which also stated that: “The site is located to the north of town and there is potential to create and enhance access to it through the green lane and public footpath network in Vallée des Vaux, and to explore linkages to Fern Valley and Bellozane.”
“The site is currently leased, but upon cessation of the current use, it is proposed that the site is brought forward to be repurposed as a St Helier Country Park,” it added.
Recalling a visit to a country park near Southampton a number of years ago, Mr Crowcroft cited mountain biking, jogging trails and zip-wires as examples of potential features for inclusion.
“It would be nice to have an all-weather pétanque facility there,” he added.
