Preferred Skate Park Site Confirmed

The Les Quennevais Sports Centre has been confirmed as the ideal location for Jersey's new skate park following a public consultation.

There'll now be an assessment of how to minimise risks such as additional noise and antisocial behaviour before a planning application is submitted.

1,150 people took part in the consultation, with only 77 against the principle that Jersey should have a skate park.

Les Quennevais was backed as the most suitable site by a proportion of around four to one.

The government says funding will be available to build the main facility as well as additional skate-friendly areas across the island.

"The overwhelmingly positive response to the public consultation, and the financial backing for the project, demonstrate that we have the support needed to create a permanent home for our skating community at Les Quennevais Sports Centre.

"While we now know that we have the support, we are still going to address the concerns that the consultation enabled people to raise. There will be assessments of how to minimise the risks of it creating additional noise, antisocial behaviour, and transport because we want to ensure that it will not unduly impact upon the surrounding environment. Those assessments will be undertaken as we take the next step and prepare the planning application, which we need to have granted in order to enable the construction to begin.

"Government has committed to improving islanders’ wellbeing both physically and mentally, and to putting children first. Part of this promise is to provide facilities that meet the needs of current and future generations. The new skate park project will diversify Jersey’s sports and leisure offering and encourage growth and involvement in modern, accessible, popular and growing urban sports." - Senator Steve Pallett, Assistant Minister with responsibility for sport.

The plan was to have the skate park ready to use by this summer when skateboarding will make its Olympic debut in Tokyo.

However Senator Pallett has confirmed that's unlikely. It's still hoped that, subject to planning permission, it will be ready by the end of this year.

The project has involved the Jersey Skateparks Association and its vice-chairman, Daco Fernandes, has welcomed the approval.

"We have worked closely with Government throughout the process of selecting the location and feel that the planned site will provide the best overall experience for park users, and for the surrounding community. We are also excited about the idea of smaller skate-friendly areas complementing the larger project, and think that Jersey is well on the way to becoming a skate-friendly island, with the facilities that the skating community deserve."

The full results of the consultation can be found here.