The demolition of Overdale Hospital has been blocked by Jersey's Planning Committee.

All five voting members unanimously rejected the application, saying because the plans to build the new hospital are still the subject of a planning inquiry, clearing the site would be 'premature' and like 'putting the cart before the horse'.

That is despite officers recommending the work be approved, with the condition that the three buildings in the best condition are kept until the new hospital receives planning permission.

The government's Our Hospital team planned on submitting separate applications to clear the site, with another submitted before June to create the new £866m health complex.

The planned timeline for the project (Credit: GoJ / Our Hospital)

Permission was being sought to remove the existing structures, with work scheduled to start in April and take place in three phases.

Initially, the derelict buildings would be demolished.  

Other areas of the hospital would only go once services had been moved temporarily to the former Les Quennevais school site.

Deputy Graham Truscott oversaw proceedings, with Deputies Jeremy Macon, Kirsten Morel, Marcus Troy and Steve Luce voting.

Evidence was heard both for and against the application - including from Patrick Armstrong, the Medical Director for Health & Community Services.

He said there is a strong case in support of a new hospital, which had already been agreed by the States Assembly:

"The existing buildings at Overdale hospital will need to be demolished to accommodate the proposed new hospital, which is the subject of a separate planning application and will shortly be considered at a public inquiry.

"It is important to point out that this is an enabling application for the new hospital project, which will fast track time-consuming demolition activity so that construction of the new hospital can begin straight away. This will support progress with the challenging construction programme which is aiming to deliver an operational new hospital by the end of 2026 for the benefit of patients and visitors, healthcare staff and islanders."

He added that any work clearing the site wouldn't commence until services have relocated to Les Quennevais:

"There will be no demolition of buildings currently delivering services until users have moved to the former Les Quennevais School. Once services are moved to this new, fit-for-purpose facility, the existing buildings will no longer have a clinical use.

"On completion of the hospital, those services that are within the functional brief for the new hospital will move back. Those services that are less suited to a hospital setting, such as the Child Development and Therapy Centre, will move to a new facility providing the right care setting, which is being explored by the teams providing those services for five years’ time."

Peter Funk, from the Friends of Our New Hospital group, raised concerns that as every planning application should stand on its own, demolishing the Overdale buildings - including some in a good condition - would not be in line with the island's current planning policies.

He also asked why the Health Minister, Deputy Richard Renouf, wasn't present for the meeting to see the decision made.

Barbara Ward, a nurse for more than 40 years, told the committee that she - and many other professionals - have been left 'dumbfounded' as to why good buildings are being demolished before the new hospital plans have even been approved.

The politicians on the committee also heard from former St Helier Deputy Ted Vibert. He said the panel should take care to avoid a conflict of interest in their decision, as it was the States Assembly that originally approved building the new hospital on the site.

Responding to Mr Vibert, Deputy Truscott said he 'wouldn't be sitting here if I felt there was a conflict'.

John Baker, a member of the Parish of St Helier Roads Committee, called for the application to be rejected - saying if the Our Hospital plans aren't approved but the demolition is, a derelict site would be left similar to what was left at the Robin Hood junction for many years.

A large overgrown plot was left on the corner of Trinity Road and Springfield Road in St Helier for many years before being redeveloped

After hearing evidence for and against the application, the committee retired to a separate meeting room to briefly confer before delivering their unanimous verdict.

Among their concerns were the health & safety implications of having heavy good vehicles working on the demolition site having to travel through the remaining Overdale hospital site while some buildings are still being used.

There were also concerns that the looming plans to build a new hospital, but no formal application prepared yet has caused confusion.

Deputy Steve Luce, the former Planning & Environment Minister who ordered the first Hospital Planning Inquiry, said it's 'unusual' to apply to clear a site without the new development agreed.

Responding to the Planning Committee's decision, Senator Lyndon Farnham - the political lead for the Our Hospital project - says he doesn't anticipate any major delays:

"We do not foresee this decision having a material impact on the overall timeline of the delivery of the new hospital.

"Our focus remains on the main planning application, which has been submitted and will also deal with the demolition requirements and will be the subject of a planning inquiry in April."