THE Jersey Royal Company has submitted plans to convert the shuttered Talana Hotel in Bagot Road into worker accommodation.
A planning application has been lodged seeking a change of use for the site, which was recently purchased by the potato exporter.
A supporting document accompanying the application noted that the Jersey Royal Company currently houses its workers in “a range of accommodation types from porta-cabins to block-built flats and farm cottages, the majority rented from ex-farmers and restricted in use to agricultural workers”.
But it explained that following Albert Bartlett’s purchase of the business last year – with the combined operation now employing up to 300 migrant workers – there was not enough accommodation available for all of them.
“As such 12 farm workers were accommodated in the Sarum Hotel at considerable expense,” it added.
Outlining the proposal for the hotel, it stated that the Talana has one single and 40 double-bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms.
“It is proposed that the hotel is converted to workers accommodation to house 82 staff. In the first instance, the majority of these are likely to be Filipino nationals,” it added.
