Education Minister reopens debate over St Helier primary school site amid renewed calls for alternatives

Jersey’s newly appointed Education Minister has indicated she will revisit the long-running decision to locate a new primary school at Gas Place in St Helier, reopening a debate that has divided politicians and residents for several years.

Catherine Curtis, who was appointed unopposed to the Education portfolio on 29 June, said she is willing to reconsider the chosen site following renewed concerns and fresh suggestions from senior figures in the capital.

St Helier Constable Inna Gardiner has urged the government to explore alternative locations for the proposed town primary school, pointing in particular to the former Apollo Hotel site on St Saviour’s Road as a potential option.

Asked about the possibility of reviewing the Gas Place decision, Deputy Curtis said she believes extensive work had already been carried out but confirmed she would take another look.

“An awful lot was looked into before, as the Constable will know, but I’m happy to look at it again, bearing in mind it’s part of my duty to do so,” she said.

The Gas Place site was originally identified around four years ago, but the plan has faced sustained opposition. Critics have argued that the development should instead be used to expand Millennium Town Park, citing a need for more green space in the island’s capital.

The proposal has previously been defended by Deputy Curtis’s Reform Jersey colleague and former Education Minister Rob Ward, who resisted pressure from campaigners calling for the park extension.

The debate has also been championed by the ‘Grow Our Park’ group, which has consistently argued against building on the site.

Earlier attempts to redirect the project, including efforts led by then-St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft to extend Millennium Town Park, were unsuccessful after failing to gain sufficient support in the States Assembly.

The issue became a notable talking point during recent election campaigning in central St Helier, where the planned development was controversially branded by opponents as a “megaschool”, despite being backed through previous States decisions.

With a new minister now in post, the future of the Gas Place project appears set to be reconsidered once again.