What next for the King Edward VII site?
THREE fields encircling the southern side of the KEVII hospital site have been purchased by the States for £160,000.
But there are no plans for them and there seems little sign of redevelopment of the site in the near future.
The sale of the fields – known as Le Courtil de Fanigot, Les Jaonieres des Houllets and Les Jaonieres des Houlles – was completed earlier this month.
‘When the fields were placed on the market, the committee felt it was a rare opportunity to secure the land as a strategic investment for the future because of its location alongside a substantial existing States-owned site, but there are no immediate plans for the site at this time,’ a P&R spokesman said.
While the KEVII is undesignated land in the Island Development Plan, and has been earmarked by the States for development, the three fields are designated as agricultural priority areas, meaning it would be harder to get permission allow the building of new structures, such as houses.
The States does have advantage over private landowners in that it can use a policy known as S5, which means developments of strategic importance can be allowed, if it can be proven to be essential to the public interest.
However nothing is likely to happen imminently.
A development framework would be required for any developments of 30 or more dwellings in the main centres and main centre outer areas, and 15 or more dwellings in local centres.
These documents, which are usually needed before a planning application is submitted, identifies the constraints and opportunities presented by a particular site or area, and the type of development that would be expected and encouraged by the planners.
The Castel Hospital site borders the L’Aumone local centre.
A Planning Service spokesman said: ‘We are not currently preparing development frameworks for either the Castel Hospital or the King Edward VII Hospital.’
The newly-purchased fields stretch from Les Vieux Beaucamps to the south-west of the hospital site around to Rue de la Perruque.
Estate agents detail the total area as being more than eight vergees, or three acres, with good vehicle access.
The neighbouring King Edward VII hospital closed its doors in 2014, after more than a century as part of the island’s healthcare system.
The KEVII was part of island healthcare from 1902 when it first opened as a hospital to treat people with infectious diseases. In most recent years it had been used for rehabilitation, continuing care and day-hospital service.
At the start of 2022 Policy & Resources member David Mahoney was optimistic that a development could commence in the near future at the site. But no development framework – which would help indicate what development might be suitable for the site – has been drawn up and no planning applications have been submitted.
Instead the site stands largely unused and has faced problems with vandalism.
The States owns quite a lot of land already in the area, including Perruque House, which houses services like adult safeguarding.
