Deferral sought for ex-social security office sale
BBCA deputy has requested the sale of Jersey's former social security building be deferred, and said its use should better benefit the community.
The Infrastructure Minister announced plans on 18 March to sell Philip Le Feuvre House and Huguenot House in St Helier for £2.3m, starting a 15 working day period in which members of the States Assembly can object.
The property was originally marketed with a guide price of £3m to developers for affordable housing.
However, Deputy David Warr requested the minister, Constable Andy Jehan, defer the approval of the land transaction agreement and look at alternative uses of the site.
Warr said in his deferral of land transaction proposal, it was a "significant property transaction" that was being "rushed through by the minister" ahead of the pre-election period without any "proper scrutiny".
He said: "Let me start by saying that I do not take lightly the impact of further delay on the sale of this site.
"It has remained empty for far too long, but there again that was time that could have been used researching the needs of St Helier and how this site in particular could be optimally developed."
He added the sale was not about maximising the financial value of the site, but about recognising the "wider value and opportunity" for the island's society.
A previous expressions of interest process also included another property on La Motte Street, but it was later retained for use by Health and Care Jersey.
Jehan accepted the recommendation for the sale of the property on 18 March and said the bid of £2,315,000 was considered to deliver "strong value, and likely the best overall value for money, whilst carrying out the lowest risk".
It added: "On balance, this was therefore considered to be the preferred option."
Warr added: "The point of my proposition is to simply find the space to have a discussion around how we optimise the value of this key site in town.
"If, ultimately, the sale to a property developer is proven to be the correct one, then so be it. I simply ask that we just take a moment to look at the wider utility to our community."
Warr said he was grateful to Robert MacRae, Bailiff of Jersey, for ruling he could lodge this proposition and he hoped members would support him in the debate on 14 July.
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