for a time, and the headmaster proposed leasing the whole site for educational and sporting purposes. In 1989 the dormitory wing was converted for use by the Education Committee as temporary respite care for children with special education needs. However the Public Works Committee decided in favour of selling the property in order to purchase a commercial site in Saint Helier for development as housing, or of agreeing a land swap with a hotel in Saint Helier whereby the hotel would develop Haut de la Garenne as a luxury hotel and thereby free the urban hotel site for housing development. The proposal for a luxury hotel development spurred parishioners of Saint Martin to call a Parish Assembly by means of a requête. This Assembly, held in August 1989, voted to oppose a hotel development at Haut de la Garenne, but indicated that a proposal for a sheltered housing development might be acceptable. In 1991 the States approved a scheme to retain the 1970 wing for respite care, convert the main building for sheltered housing, and construct new housing on the eastern part of the site. This decision was reversed, and in 1992 the Planning and Environment Committee took over administration of the site from Public Services, and the building was used for temporary accommodation for visiting groups of musicians and sportspeople, especially during festivals. Discussions continued on how to use the of available building floor area. On 8 December 1998 the States voted to establish a trust to manage and operate Haut de la Garenne as a residential centre. On 22 October 2002 the States adopted a Law granting an Act of Incorporation to the Association called "The Haut de la Garenne Trust". The States spent £2.25m in 2003 to convert the building into a youth hostel, part of the Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales) (YHA). The youth hostel opened for business on 19 March 2004. The building was also used for occasional conferences. Child abuse investigation Police moved into the hostel in February 2008 as part of an investigation into historical child abuse. The investigation showed numerous instances of child abuse against past residents, and led to the conviction of a former resident and a former member of staff. Initial reports suggested that human remains and other evidence of torture and murder had been found. These reports were later denied by the police. The hostel closed as the