In a tentative sign that progress may one day be made on finding a solution to the wider issue of the future of
the Fort itself, in the new year expressions of interest will be invited from private sector individuals and organisations interested in taking on the regeneration of the ageing site.
Work is due to start next year on the demolition of the old cable-car station and bridge to the swimming pool, both of which are regularly visited by trespassers and have been described as representing a ‘real and immediate risk to the young people frequenting them’.
Towards the end of 2018 and into 2019 the old swimming pool – the future of which has been a contentious issue since it closed 14 years ago and is also a danger to those who visit it – will be demolished.
In total up to £4.55 million will be available from States contingencies for the demolition project – more than double an estimate provided to the States in 2011.
The developments come as new plans have been posted online by an organisation known as Fort Adventure Centre, proposing that the site of the old swimming pool and the Glacis Field be redeveloped with a go-kart track built under a futuristic glass tunnel running alongside an adventure centre with climbing wall and indoor skate park and a drive-in cinema.
Tamba Park entrepreneur Jonathan Ruff has also previously expressed an interest in Fort Regent, as has Creepy
Valley director Roger Le Maistre, who currently runs Fort Adventures Ltd – which has no connection with the Fort Adventure group – and the Fort’s Playzone.
However, Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel, who has political responsibility for the demolition project, said it was probably too early to get excited about the Fort as a whole being regenerated and he was disappointed that after ‘many decades’ it had still not been resolved. ‘Coming out in the new year will be an expression of interest if there any private sector individuals who want to take on the Fort, hopefully to find the regeneration of the whole of it.’
But he added: ‘Do I think it will be resolved soon? Probably not. And it certainly will not be funded with taxpayers’ money because there are other projects that need funding like the hospital and schools, to name two.’
A ministerial decision signed by Deputy Noel in relation to the demolition work shows that he or his successor, as he has said he is not seeking re-election in May, will be able to accept up to £3 million from central contingencies by the end of 2019, provisionally split £1.5 million in 2018
and £1.5 million in 2019. The exact timing of the draw-downs will depend on
progress.
In addition, a total of £800,000 carried forward by Infrastructure from 2016 for the demolition of the cable-car station
will be transferred to central contingencies along with £750,000 set aside for the demolition of the pool, bringing the total funding pot available for the project to £4.55 million.
Last month a freedom of information request showed that it was expected to cost approximately £1.275 million alone to remove the asbestos at the site. A planning application for the demolition was submitted earlier this year and a decision is pending. That application was submitted without any funding in place.
The use of contingencies to fund the project was approved recently in the 2018 Budget. In that document the swimming pool was described as ‘a risk to the public due to the poor condition,
presence of asbestos and difficulty in securing the building’.
It added that the Snow Hill cable-car building and swimming pool footbridge ‘both represent a real and immediate risk to young people who are frequenting them’.
