‘I’m sure the parish will be happy that something is going to be done’
RELIEF is the initial reaction in the Castel to the news that two derelict sites in the parish are ear-marked for redevelopment.
David Ozanne, the dean of the Castel douzaine, said it had been asking the authorities for ages to do something about the run-down sites.
‘We haven’t discussed these latest plans yet but my personal reaction is the Castel douzaine has been aware that this is an unused resource within our parish.
‘Particularly the Castel Hospital site and parts of the King Edward VII site have become derelict or semi-derelict and it’s been an ongoing matter,
‘We’ve been writing letters and approaching the authorities saying that we’d love to see the sites tidied up and used for something for the parish and island.
‘So my initial reaction is that I think the douzaine will probably be delighted that something is going to be done.
‘It would fit in with what the douzaine has been mindful to push for in the past, because we’ve always thought that it was an asset that was underused and could be used for the benefit of everybody.’
At the Castel Hospital site, Policy & Resources has plans for around 90 homes with either three, four or five bedrooms, and decent-sized gardens and appropriate parking.
At the King Edward VII Hospital site, the vision is for either a care home or a care village, which could ease the problem of bed-blocking at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
Mr Ozanne was born at the Castel Hospital after the Second World War when it was used as an emergency hospital, so he has a special attachment to it and hoped that some of the architectural heritage could be saved.
‘There are elements of the building at the Castel Hospital, historical elements, and I understand that maybe the building would have to be demolished, but I think the douzaine would probably like to see some of the features retained.
‘I wouldn’t like to see too much encroaching on green site, I look at the Castel Hospital as a brownfield site where the actual existing building is, and I wouldn’t like to see encroachment on green fields at all, if possible.
‘We need housing and we need a mix of housing in the island, we need it for families, for retirees, for first-time buyers and young people.’
