02 March 2023
A Planning Permit has been issued which enables the demolition of derelict buildings at
the Overdale Hospital site, following the completion of a Planning Obligation Agreement
between the Ministers for Environment, Infrastructure, and Health & Social Services; as
recommended by the independent planning inspector in his findings in May 2022.
The Planning Obligation Agreement requires the Ministers for Infrastructure and Health to
meet certain requirements in developing Overdale for new healthcare facilities including:
- Addressing the future relocation of Jersey Bowling Club on commencement of any
highway works
- A contribution by the development to the West Park Surface Water Separation
Scheme
- Measures to ensure highways access, bus infrastructure, parking, and a travel plan
The Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Tom Binet, commented:
“The signature of the Planning Obligation Agreement and the release of planning
permission means we can carry out demolition works on derelict buildings at Overdale,
and we create the opportunity to move as quickly as possible once we have agreed the
appropriate way forward with Health colleagues and concluded feasibility studies. I believe
we can proceed with schemes for healthcare services that are appropriate and affordable,
are more sympathetic to the surrounding areas, and that deliver the appropriate supporting
infrastructure.
“This signifies our absolute commitment to moving forward with development at Overdale,
as part of our plans for cost-effective and high-quality healthcare facilities.”
Following the publication of the Our Hospital Review in November 2022, the Council of
Ministers agreed that the existing plans for Overdale were inappropriate and unaffordable.
Extensive work is underway on feasibility studies for a multi-site healthcare solution,
working closely with staff in Health and Community Services to understand how clinical
services could be arranged.
While the permission is for the previous single-site Overdale scheme, it will provide a
constructive baseline from which to work. This means that whatever the agreed direction
of travel, the project will have an approved planning permission, and the reduction in scale
of any future proposed development at Overdale can be balanced against it, as well as
allowing the demolition and clearing of the site for any enabling works once any relevant
conditions are discharged to the satisfaction of the regulatory authorities.
It is also important to note that whilst the Agreement includes the need to address the
future relocation of Jersey Bowling Club, this is an area of focus of the feasibility studies
since it was one of the areas of potential savings identified in the review report.
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