Plans for youth facility on Gas Place rejected

Deputy David Warr said he was baffled by the negativity in the debate

Politicians have rejected plans to use a site earmarked for a primary school to temporarily be used for youth facilities.

States members rejected Deputy David Warr's proposals for Gas Place, St Helier, with 30 politicians voting against them, six voting in favour and six abstaining.

Assistant Minister for Children and Families, Deputy Malcolm Ferey, welcomed the decision to reject the plans and said any temporary facility would have interfered with building a school on the site.

But Warr said he was "baffled that there was so much negativity" in the debate.

He said: "Teenagers of this island are underserviced, we have seen the shutting down of Fort Regent, the shutting down of the skate park in town, just all these facilities that are no longer available to our young people.

"To do a meanwhile use at Gas Place for me was a no-brainer. [It] was easy to do and it just baffles me that so much negativity came out at that debate."

However, Ferey, who voted against the plans, said: "I think also the plan was to have a play area in that space and we already have well-formed plans for a new youth facility on the Ann Street site which will encompass a climbing wall, a sports hall and a kick pitch on the roof tops.

"So there will be a youth centre and a type of play facility in that vicinity in the coming years.

"So I was concerned that if we redirect our energies and resources into a different project it could jeopardise two of those big projects for St Helier. One being the school and one being the youth centre."

'Considerable cost and effort'

Minister for Treasury and Resources, Deputy Elaine Millar, argued that a meanwhile use for the site would only last a few months as ROK Construction was using the site as it completed the Maisons les Arches housing development.

She said: "They will have occupation of this until June 2026.

"It's estimated that enabling works for the new primary school would begin in October 2026, so this meanwhile use would only be for a few months at considerable cost and effort."

But Warr disputed it and said: "ROK are not currently using the whole of the site, in fact if you go in the Gas Place showroom right now its three quarters empty already.

"A lot of people need to go up there and see the reality of how that site is used."