There will not be a public inquiry into the planning application for Jersey's new acute hospital at Overdale.

Jersey's Environment Minister Steve Luce has made the decision, which means consent for the £710 million pound facility will be decided by the department and planning committee in line with usual process.

A planning application was submitted in September 2024, revealing space for 60 more beds and 343 new parking spaces. 

A public inquiry was previously held on 4 April 2022 relating to the hospital site.

This resulted in planning permission being granted on 17 May 2022 for the previous iteration of the hospital, which was later abandoned. 

Plans for the Overdale hospital site

A statement from Deputy Steve Luce reads: 

'I have decided not to call a Public Inquiry for the new Acute Hospital planning application at the Overdale Hospital site (Ref: P/2024/1025). 

'As Islanders may be aware, a Public Inquiry was held in April 2022, after which planning permission was granted for a new hospital at Overdale.

'At the time, the Planning Inspector’s report to the Minister for the Environment confirmed the proposal accorded in principle with the Bridging Island Plan Spatial Strategy, and that the site was the right site for the Hospital development as confirmed in Policy CI3 of the Plan, approved by the States Assembly. 

'The built form of the newly proposed Acute Hospital will be constructed wholly within the confines of the existing Overdale site, and results in the retention of Westmount Road and the Jersey Bowls Club, while Fields H1550 and H1552 will be utilised for surface car parking'.

The statement concluded:

'The application will be determined in accordance with the usual Departmental and Planning Committee processes and procedures.'

Health Minister Tom Binet

Health Minister Tom Binet told us previously that he hoped Deputy Luce would decide against a public inquiry in the interest of moving forward quicker with the build process.

He told us in September:

"I am very hopeful it will be a committee decision and given that it is (the plan) very well laid out, I'm hoping we might receive an early 'yes'.

"In theory it could be before Christmas but let's not be too optimistic. I have my fingers crossed for a decision before Christmas but realistically it might be in the new year."

Ministers hope the acute hospital build will be completed by 2028.