By Fiona Potigny,St Helier Constable
Copyright jerseyeveningpost
THE former Jersey Gas site will be sold to the government for a “nominal amount” of £1 to progress plans for a new town primary school.
Published last week, the government’s Budget revealed that the Infrastructure Minister had come to an agreement with Andium Homes to buy the Gas Place site on Tunnell Street.
In turn, the government will then reduce the annual payments the social housing provider normally returns to the States by £1.5 million over 10 years to ensure Andium is compensated for the value of property.
But if other funds become available, the government could pay off the sale amount sooner and return Andium’s payments back to normal.
More than £12 million was set aside for the new two-form entry school – which will replace St Luke’s and Springfield – at Gas Place in the 2025-2029 Budget.
But a proposition lodged by St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft earlier this year asked Ministers to assess the need for a new town school in light of Jersey’s changing demographics, including its falling birth rate.
Constable Crowcroft also wanted an assessment of the “likely impact” of doubling the size of the Millenium Town Park, a proposal he has previously brought to the States Assembly.
But the Education Minister said that the “much-needed” school would replace “ageing” buildings with “modern fit-for-purpose facilities”.
Deputy Rob Ward stressed that it was “absolutely clear” that the level of need in schools was increasing and that the new site would offer a “purpose-built” place for children, including those “with the greatest need who are currently in La Passerelle primary school”.
