Minister agrees to £790k sale of home with swimming pool

A senior government minister has approved the sale of a publicly owned five-bedroom property with a swimming pool for £790,000, citing the ongoing cost to taxpayers of retaining the building.

The house, known as Caroldene, is located on La Rue de la Hauteur in St Helier and forms part of the Government of Jersey’s extensive property estate. A review in 2021 estimated the total value of the government’s residential holdings at more than £1 billion.

Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan confirmed the sale price after the property was re-marketed earlier this year. The home had previously attracted an £800,000 offer, but that deal collapsed late last year. Following the withdrawal, the asking price was increased to £850,000 before a lower bid of £790,000 was accepted.

In a published ministerial decision, Mr Jehan said the agreed figure reflected the condition of the property and the work required to make it suitable for occupation.

“The house requires a significant level of investment to bring it back to a habitable standard,” he said. “Taking this into account, the offer received is considered reasonable and represents value for the public.”

Estate agents Gaudin & Co had marketed the property as a substantial detached home featuring five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sunroom, a double garage and a swimming pool.

Government records show the States of Jersey purchased the building in 1991 for £225,000. The acquisition was primarily to allow part of the land to be used to improve access to the nearby Le Jardin de la Hauteur development. The house was later transferred for use as accommodation by the Territorial Army after it was deemed surplus to housing requirements.

Mr Jehan confirmed that both the government and the buyers would meet their own legal and transaction costs as part of the sale.

While there is no official data on average sale prices for five-bedroom homes, Jersey’s latest house price index shows that four-bedroom properties sold for an average of £1.28 million in the third quarter of 2025.