Opposition to Chief Minister’s Ann Court HQ plans revealed

Opposition to Chief Minister’s Ann Court HQ plans revealed

Last November, the JEP revealed that Treasury Minister Susie Pinel had refused to sanction a £37.8 million loan to Andium, the States-owned social housing developer, to start work on their 165-unit scheme at Ann Court.

An FOI request for all email correspondence between Chief Minister John Le Fondré, Deputy Pinel and Housing Minister Sam Mézec on the matter since 1 October has indicated clear discord within the Council of Ministers over plans for the site.

Senator Le Fondré is understood to be considering alternative uses for Ann Court, including the potential construction of a new States headquarters.

Correspondence between Senator Mézec and Andium’s chairman, former Chief Minister Frank Walker, has revealed the extent of the pair’s opposition to the move.

In an email to Mr Walker dated 12 November, the Housing Minister wrote: ‘You have probably seen the JEP front page today which reports on the rumour we discussed at our last meeting.

‘The source (no idea who that is) had revealed I am meeting with the Chief Minister on Tuesday to discuss this. Just to clarify, they are correct that I am meeting with the Chief Minister on Tuesday, but I should say that this is just for a “catch-up” session, without an agenda.

‘Of course I will raise Anne [sic] Court at this meeting, but it isn’t uniquely to discuss that issue.

‘My position on this remains unchanged since we last discussed it. I hope that things become clearer as soon as possible so that Andium are able to crack on with the brilliant work you have planned, without any shadows hanging over you in this way.’

In response, Mr Walker wrote: ‘Hi Sam, Thanks for this.

‘I very much hope you will be able to persuade the CM that this makes no sense at all, particularly as Ann Court is totally compliant with the Island Plan, plays a major role in the regeneration of St Helier, provides 156 [sic] units
of much-needed accommodation, [rest redacted]’

The correspondence revealed by the FOI also demonstrates Senator Mézec’s reluctance to air his views publicly, however, as he referred to the States press office in response to direct questioning from this newspaper on the matter on 22 November.

In an email to the press office that day, the minister said that he had told the JEP he would not give them an ‘off-the-cuff’ statement.

The press office eventually released a response, signed off by the minister, to the JEP on 26 November, which said that Senator Mézec would like to see the impasse over Ann Court resolved.

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