Castel Hospital set to become listed building

The hospital was previously used as a facility for treating people with mental health problems

Castel Hospital in Guernsey is set to become a listed building.

Guernsey's Development and Planning Authority (DPA) voted to approve the move last week.

The decision follows a recommendation by officers at the DPA to make it a protected building.

Earlier this year, the Policy and Resources Committee (P&R) announced it wanted to demolish the building to build houses. but the decision means that is now unlikely.

P&R had said if a decision was made to list the building there could still be potential for some accommodation on site, but it would be for far fewer units than if the site could be demolished.

The Castel Hospital site is still used by some staff within Health and Social Care, mainly from the community care team.

It was previously used as a facility for treating people with mental health problems.

There are currently 1,600 protected buildings in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, according to the States of Guernsey.

The DPA has guidance that states if a building is protected, it doesn't mean it can't be changed in any way.

On the DPA's website it states: "Any changes should preserve or enhance the special characteristics of the building.

"There is a legal obligation to preserve, so far as is possible, the special historic, architectural, traditional or other special characteristics of protected buildings."

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