P&R – Castel Hospital site needs a broader look
A COMPREHENSIVE development scheme will be drawn up for the Castel Hospital site, rather than a piecemeal plan, Policy & Resources president Peter Ferbrache has said.
He was responding to questions from Development & Planning Authority vice-president Andy Taylor about viability studies for developing the site.
The DPA recently listed parts of the historic site, which is a rare, surviving hospital complex dating from the mid-18th century. It led to a furious statement from P&R, which called the decision irresponsible, and Deputy Ferbrache has previously warned the States did not have money to restore or preserve it. Currently there are 300 HSC staff based on the site.
Deputy Taylor asked if P&R would look to convert some of the existing redundant buildings into affordable housing, while HSC was using other parts of the site.
Deputy Ferbrache said that working around the current operational requirements to develop individual parts would be challenging, but not impossible.
‘More importantly the committee believes that such an approach would curtail the overall potential of the site and bring with it additional risks which it considers unnecessary exposure for the States.’
He said that P&R wanted to explore a comprehensive redevelopment of the site as a whole, beyond the conversation of the existing buildings, and extending into the adjacent King Edward VII site.
‘Given the significant potential of the sites by virtue of their unique size, location and ownership, the committee believes that it would be counter intuitive to progress piecemeal development designed around so many protected features, both internal and external to the property,’ he said.
‘It is only through considering the sites as a whole that it will be possible to identify the best possible use of the land and secure the best possible value from the community’s assets, which could include involving private developers or other innovative approaches.’
Deputy Ferbrache added that P&R had considered high-level concepts for the site, but work had stopped when the heritage review began.
Deputy Taylor queried why P&R said the site could not be affordably developed. Deputy Ferbrache said that the listing made development more challenging and potentially less attractive to external parties.
