Plans submitted for 57-bed care home on former Palm Springs site

A new 57-bedroom care home could be built on the site of a former nursing home in St Helier under plans submitted to Jersey’s planning authorities.

Palm Springs Nursing Home, located at Trinity Hill, closed in 2021. Developer PS Developments said there had since been "renewed market interest" in care home accommodation, prompting it to put forward an alternative proposal for the site.

The application comes amid growing concern over the island's future demand for elderly care. A Jersey care home said in June that it needed to expand its capacity because of fears it could reach full occupancy, while health professionals have warned that a shortage of workers could make it difficult to meet future demand.

PS Developments said the proposed scheme would provide modern accommodation for older residents while making use of an existing brownfield site. The company said the development was consistent with the government's Island Bridging Plan.

The proposals also include measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the development. These include rooftop solar panels and other energy-efficiency measures, while existing landscaping and biodiversity features would be retained.

The site is also close to public transport and cycling routes, which developers said would encourage more sustainable travel.

Planning permission was previously granted in 2023 for 12 apartments and four houses on the site. However, PS Developments said changing market conditions had led it to pursue what it described as a more community-focused care home scheme.

No date has yet been set for a decision on the latest planning application.