Latest news with #DavidWarr
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Plans for youth facility on Jersey Gas Place rejected
Politicians have rejected plans to use a site earmarked for a primary school to temporarily be used for youth members rejected Deputy David Warr's proposals for Gas Place, St Helier, with 30 politicians voting against them, six voting in favour and six 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 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 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."
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Deputies asked to back plans for temporary youth facility
Land earmarked for a new primary school in Jersey could be temporarily used for youth facilities including a skatepark and climbing wall if a proposal is backed by David Warr lodged the proposal for "meanwhile" use of the Gas Place site while plans to use it to build a new primary school are said it was "extraordinary" that due to other sites closing the 5,000 local children would not have a place for indoor activities by the end of about plans to build a school on the site, Deputy Rob Ward, Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, said "I think it's just time to get on with it." 'It angers me' In his proposal, Warr highlighted the closure of youth facilities at Fort Regent for three years, Tamba Park, Amaizin Maze and the town Skate Park. "By the end of 2025 there will be absolutely no free in-door provision in St Helier for 5,000 children."It's quite extraordinary and it angers me to think that this is being allowed to happen."An in-door skate facility combined with other activities such as a climbing wall, a tarmac pump track on Gas Place wasteland could be used by skaters, bikers and wheelchairs plus it's on the doorstep of most of the island's secondary schools." 'Waste of resources' Warr said: "The health and wellbeing of our teenage population which is already problematic post COVID, is being compromised... it affects all of us."Not using this brownfield site now whilst further plans are developed is an incredible waste of resources. "We must do all we can to prevent poor health and wellbeing outcomes rather than waiting three years for them to surface. Surely that is a major policy choice."He added: "I believe that it will be possible to raise sufficient funds through a combination of charitable donations, sponsorship and goodwill." Constable Simon Crowcroft has called for the decision to build a school on the site to be reconsidered due to decreasing birth rates and a lack of open spaces in St for Education and Lifelong Learning, Deputy Rob Ward, said the plans for the school would already be in place if it was not for "constant delay". "We've been through the discussions before," he said."The assembly has voted repeatedly to support the school."What we do have to understand is that the new school will be a replacement for what are buildings that we really don't want out children to be educated in, with a lack of space and green space."I think it's just time to get on with it."The earliest date Warr's proposal could be debated is 8 July.
