Economy Department: Hotel plans would "make efficient use" of Union House - Jersey Evening Post
by James Jeune · Jersey Evening PostPosted inNews
Economy Department: Hotel plans would “make efficient use” of Union House
by James Jeune 4 June 20263 June 2026
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Union House, Union Street, St Helier 02/06/2026 Picture: ROBBIE DARK
A PLANNING application seeking permission to convert Union House into a hotel has garnered support from the Economy Department – which has said the proposal would “make efficient use” of the building and bolster Jersey’s visitor accommodation supply.
If approved, the plans put forward by MAC Architectural Services on behalf of Vadis Ltd would see the site transformed into an 89-bedroom hotel with a restaurant and bar.
Located on the corner of Union Street and Le Geyt Street, Union House currently comprises a mix of office space and apartments.
In a cover letter accompanying the application, MAC Architectural Services managing director Matthew Collins stated that the building is in a “poor condition” and that “its use as an office is currently redundant”.
Both the Chamber of Commerce and Jersey Hospitality Association have welcomed the plans as a sign of renewed confidence within the tourism industry.
And in a consultation response to the application, the Economy Department stated that it is “supportive of the creation of much-needed new visitor accommodation which aligns with the strategic objective to unlock investment in accommodation and ensure the capacity exists to grow the visitor economy as outlined in the Visitor Economy Strategy”.
It said: “There is a need for more modern accommodation that provides value for money for the customer and helps make Jersey more competitive as a destination.”
During an Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel hearing in May 2025, Environment Minister Steve Luce expressed a desire to see new hotels developed “where possible”.
Concerns surrounding the Island’s tourism bed capacity have resurfaced in recent years, particularly following the loss of a number of town hotels – including the Mayfair, Stafford, Revere and Apollo.
The Economy Department noted that: “Much of the older hotel accommodation that has exited the market has been in St Helier, so it is good to see an investment in the town centre that will help to replace that with new, more fit for purpose hotel rooms, in a location that is close to the high street and key areas of interest to visitors.”
The response continued: “Based on the floor plans and rooms sizes this would appear to be appropriate for a limited-service hotel model.
“Given Jersey’s decline in economic productivity, there is a need for investment in businesses that can generate higher productivity than the current average.”
The department contended that the proposed hotel would “operate with greater productivity than some of the existing affordable product” and “make efficient use of an existing building” while also contributing to the Island’s supply of visitor accommodation.
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