Guernsey Property and Construction / Issue 6

Summer 2021

Issue 6

GUE R N SE Y

PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION Admiral Park Progress so far and the plans for stage two

On the market From commercial to residential, what property experts think of the market

Plans to GROW The charity’s ambitions to develop its site and help more islanders

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INTRODUCTION

EDITOR Tamara Timothy

EDITOR’S LETTER

editor@collaborateci.com

SALES Julie Todd hello@collaborateci.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Anthony Barbapiccola design@collaborateci.com www.collaborateci.com www.guernseyconstructionawards.com

Guernsey Property and Construction is produced by Collaborate CI Ltd. To receive the magazine call 01481 715222 or email hello@collaborateci.com Guernsey Property and Construction is published by Collaborate CI Ltd. Copyright 2021.

All rights reserved. Any reproduction without permission is prohibited. Guernsey Property and Construction contains editorial content from external contributors which does not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers and the factual accuracy of which cannot be guaranteed by the publishers. Guernsey Property and Construction does not accept or respond to unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. The publishers do not accept responsibility for errors in advertisements or third party offers.

W

elcome to the summer edition of the Guernsey Property and Construction magazine.

As an island, we have now experienced the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic for a full year, and while we have certainly suffered far less than many, the impact of the pandemic has undoubtedly been felt throughout the local industry. From project delays to shortages of materials, it’s rare to find a development unaffected.

Cover photo by Chris George

However, it’s definitely not all doom and gloom. The industry has seen a staggering increase in demand for its services over recent months, while the heating up of the island’s property market is also well-documented. We explore the impact across the property sectors in our special feature, which you can read from page 31.

PUBLISHED BY

In this issue, we have focused on projects that pique the public’s interest. The major development at Admiral Park is a regular sight for many as they go about their daily business. We go behind the scenes on page 4 to find out how the Premier Inn is progressing and what the plans are for phase two of the site.

On a smaller scale, but of huge importance to some islanders, is the planned redevelopment of the GROW facility. The horticultural site currently offers workplace training for a number of people with disabilities, but they have ambitious plans to expand their offering and help more people.

On page 52 we find out what they want to do, and when they hope to achieve it.

Finally, this magazine is all about celebrating the achievements of the industry, and there is no better way to do that than through the annual Property and Construction Awards. Having been cancelled last year due to Covid, the organisers are very excited to bring them back for 2021, and you can find all the details on page 22. Nominations are open until 27 August, so make sure you visit www.guernseyconstructionawards.com to ensure your favoured project or person gets the credit they deserve.

The award ceremony itself is scheduled to take place this autumn but, for now, enjoy the magazine and enjoy your summer.

Tamara Timothy Editor

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Guernsey Property and Construction

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 6 04 Admiral Park

04

With phase one set for completion this year and phase two recently given planning approval, we take an in-depth look at the Admiral Park site

16 Guernsey Harbours A major capital project is on the horizon for the island – find out about the proposals to overhaul the island’s port arrangements

18 Industry News From what’s happening to who’s working where – we round up all the local property and construction industry news

22 Guernsey Property and Construction Awards Nominations are open and tickets are on sale for this year’s awards, which are coming back strong for 2021

24 Getting Outside With a new category for landscaping at this year’s awards, we take a closer look at those working in the area

26

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26 Meet the Managing Directors With a new MD waiting in the wings at RG Falla, we speak to Mark Palfrey and Paul Mason about their approaches to the top job at the building firm

31 Estate Agents From commercial property to the local residential market, we find out from those in the know about buying, selling and renting island properties

46 Pandemic Problems The president of the Guernsey Construction Forum, John Bampkin, shares his thoughts on how Covid-19 has affected the local industry

48 The Car Park Demolishing the derelict building was no easy task – we find out about the challenges facing the contractors as they created a new carpark in its place

60

52 Plans to GROW The Guernsey charity has some ambitious plans to develop its site and expand its services to islanders

60 Focus on Construction A new film commissioned by the GBTEA aims to encourage more young people into a career in the industry

Guernsey Property and Construction

3

FEATURE

ADMIRAL PARK: PHASE ONE Phase one of Comprop’s current development at Admiral Park will bring a Premier Inn hotel to Guernsey, along with a new office building, a car park and a restaurant facility. It’s an ambitious project, which is still on schedule to complete later in 2021. But with a tight timescale plus the unexpected events of the past year, the development hasn’t been without its challenges.

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

The Admiral Park development is due to come in at a cost of around £35 million over its two-year span. It’s a major project, both for the island and for the local construction industry.

Developer Comprop therefore looked for a comprehensive approach to manage the project from the start, as managing director, Steve Marie, explained: “To achieve the high standard of construction and overall quality required, combined with programme deadlines and to maintain budgetary control, it was essential to bring together a very experienced professional team to work in collaboration with the main contractor and adopt a total team approach to the project. Now that we are more than 75% complete, and have faced all of the unforeseen issues and uncharted territory caused by Covid, I am convinced that without this approach we would not have been in this current position.”

For the main contractor, Rihoy & Son, it’s the largest development they have ever undertaken – they currently have around 110 people working across the site, and have had up to 140 during the project.

For managing director, Gavin Rihoy, it’s been a boon not just for his company but for the island: “It’s been an exciting project for us, but it’s also really important for the whole supply chain in Guernsey. A major development like this provides significant work for the plumbing sector, the roofing sector, the electrical sector and many more – there are so many trades that benefit. From the people who supply the materials to those who make a living installing them, a healthy construction industry feeds through to the whole island economy.”

While the building project itself is fairly straightforward from a technical point of view, the site itself posed some particular challenges – and the past year has given those involved more problems to deal with than could have been expected. Despite all that, it is on target to complete this year.

Guernsey Property and Construction

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FEATURE

PHASE ONE: THE BREAKDOWN The large site is home to four separate structures, constructed using different methods. Alongside the buildings themselves, infrastructure works are being carried out at the site and in the nearby area to ensure it is more user-friendly for everyone.

THE HOTEL

It’s a proud moment for architect and Lovell Ozanne director, Andy Merrett.

He has been involved with Admiral Park from the very beginning, obtaining the planning approval for Trafalgar Court back in 1999 for IEG. That experience has been crucial to the recent development: “We started the design work for the phase one project in November 2011, evaluating various options with our client and his quantity surveying team, which culminated in the design solution that is currently being built. You don’t often get the opportunity during your career to design a group of buildings on a single site and then see them built, so it’s been an immensely satisfying process working with my fellow consultants and the great Rihoy’s team.”

The project managers, Jason Powers Consultants Limited, have also been involved with the site for many years, as they worked with Comprop and the architect to develop a viable plan for the area. Director Andrew Ullyott explained one of the initial issues: “The site was the old gasworks so we knew that there was the potential of contaminants in the ground. We therefore arranged for a full environmental assessment and a full site investigation. The methodology chosen was really that we would deal with anything that we found in the ground and ensure it was suitably treated. Luckily, it wasn’t as major a problem as we had anticipated and didn’t approach the worst case scenario that we had planned for.”

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Guernsey Property and Construction

The new home of Premier Inn in Guernsey comprises 100 bedrooms plus a restaurant and other facilities. Traditional foundations were laid for this building while the ground floor has been constructed of steel with a concrete composite deck at the first floor. Above that sits three storeys of lightweight timber frame. It’s a construction technique that the contractors are very familiar with and has been fairly easily carried out by the local team.

THE OFFICE The office space comprises around 38,000 sq.ft. across four floors, with 30,000 sq.ft of office space. It is a traditional steel framed structure with concrete floors, curtain walling to the south elevation and steel driven piles for foundations. The upper three floors are being completed to Cat B for new tenant Bank Julius Baer; the ground floor will be left as Cat A to await a tenant. Again, this is a familiar heavy commercial build for the local contractors.

THE CAR PARK The local team has completed all the sub-structure work, including the steel driven piles to support the structure. They are also due to complete the tarmac to the ground floor. The super structure has been put in place by a UK specialist, Bourne Parking, and comprises a heavy steel frame with pre-cast concrete planks. While logistically challenging for the team, as at some stages of the project they were receiving numerous trailers of materials per day, it has been a fairly straightforward build.

THE CAFÉ/RESTAURANT Ground stabilisation formed the foundations for the dining establishment on the roadside area of the site. It comprises a storey and a half of steel frame, which will be left by the contractors as a wind and watertight shell and core fit out, ready for a tenant to take over.

INFRASTRUCTURE From perimeter roads to landscaping, there is a host of work to be done to make the site run smoothly and look attractive. Outside of the main site area, infrastructure changes are planned to the traffic light system along with a realignment of Elizabeth Avenue, which it is hoped will ease traffic flow in the busy area.

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FEATURE

When work began on phase one in October 2019, the weather played its part in stymieing progress. Operations director at Rihoy’s, Robin Le Page, led the team on site through a difficult time: “The weather at the start of the project was significant. When we were coming out of the ground, particularly on the office building which has fairly deep foundations, there was more than a month where we were constantly dewatering – following bad spells of rain we could spend a day simply getting rid of the water.”

But while the weather improved locally, conditions worsened globally, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The first lockdown came as a shock to everyone, and left little time to prepare.

For Robin, on site with his team, there wasn’t a lot they could do there: “With the few days’ notice that we were given, we made our work safe and then simply left the site. But just because work stopped on site, it didn’t mean that we weren’t busy. A lot of design work was still progressing at that stage so the architects, engineers and consultants involved across the project had plenty to do.

“Additionally, the lockdown gave us a significant workload in terms of planning to try to reprogramme the works.”

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Guernsey Property and Construction

Rihoy’s worked with the project managers, JPC, to find solutions, as Andrew explained: “We basically went into a crisis management methodology whereby we held weekly meetings and liaised with the contractor to refine an impact schedule and work out exactly what effect the issues would have. It quickly became clear that we needed to focus on finding as many solutions and suppliers on-island as possible.”

Less than 10% of the sub-contractors on the project have been UK-based, and that use of local talent was important to developer Comprop. Steve Marie said they always do their utmost to have as many local contractors involved as possible: “We know that every pound spent in the construction industry extends far further into the economy.

That knock on effect means that it’s vitally important to use local firms rather than bringing in expertise, and therefore keep the money on island.

Luckily, the project had always been designed to utilise local skills. For Rihoy’s, it was already a priority to use Guernseybased contractors, but Gavin said Covid made that a necessity: “Anything which hasn’t been produced or installed locally is only because it couldn’t be. For example, the car park was made by a specialist car park company in the UK. However, the original plan was for 20 men to come over to install the precast structure. Instead, Bourne Parking sent two managers and employed a local contractor, Siteweld, to erect the car park for them.

“The same thing happened with the steel frame. It was manufactured off-island but local companies have erected it, and it’s a similar story with the significant roofing packages.

Altogether, the experience has shown that Guernsey does have the expertise on-island to cope with the vast majority of projects.”

“There are often certain parts of any development that can’t be done with the local labour force, but those can be outsourced by the contractor. The skills and workforce are generally available locally – and when you’re faced with an unexpected hurdle such as Covid, it’s far more practical to have a Guernseybased team. The team on this has done a great job in the circumstances, and we’re delighted.”

THE TEAM ON THIS HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WE’RE DELIGHTED.

When the first lockdown finished, the team was determined to learn its lessons and have a back-up plan in place for future problems. Rihoy’s rented an extra warehouse and began to bring in more materials than would be usual. Material shortages have been a significant issue during Covid, and they were aware that the lack of some items would hinder progress. The hotel, for example,

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ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

THE CONTRACTORS • Rihoy & Son • Lovell Ozanne • Tillyard • Jason Powers Consultants • CBL Consulting • Sarnian Roofing • Bourne Parking • Siteweld • Channel Welders

required unusually large amounts of plasterboard so this was brought to the island four months in advance to ensure it was there when necessary.

But while materials could be brought in early, getting off-island contractors to Guernsey has remained a significant problem throughout the project. Rihoy’s and JPC have therefore worked closely together to find solutions.

The site has been split into a number of different areas that can be completely segregated from each other to allow visiting contractors to complete the necessary work, as Andrew explained: “When we had contractors over from the UK, we were able to have them in a part of the site that nobody else could get to. It’s certainly meant that we’ve needed to reconsider the way the works are programmed, and in some cases it’s meant doing things in a slightly different way, but we have made it work.”

With workflows out of synch, the team has had to find creative solutions to allow progress to continue, such as wrapping the office building in monoflex so that the mechanical and engineering works could carry on inside while they wait for the curtain walling to arrive from Jersey so the exterior of the building can be completed.

But while the team has found solutions to most of the issues they have faced, there was little they could do when it

came to the second island lockdown.

Robin explained how that affected the site: “It was obviously unexpected so we did have to do some work to make the site safe before we could leave it.

We had areas of work that would have been destroyed if they had been left partially complete, and the carpark was at a stage where there were freestanding columns so we needed to carry out some temporary bracing to ensure it was safe.”

Once that was done the team again spent the period off-site planning for the return to work, resequencing workflows and re-arranging materials and contractors to ensure that they could restart the project as efficiently and effectively as possible.

EVEN IF THE SITUATION PROGRESSES WELL IN GUERNSEY, WE Despite the challenges the project has ARE DEPENDENT ON SERVICES BEYOND THE faced, the team is remaining confident they are on track to finish phase one ISLAND’S BORDERS.

this year, although Andrew is always planning for potential problems: “There are some bits of kit that are so specialist providing them on island is not an option.

We are currently due to finish the phase one works in October, and the biggest risk we’ve got on the project is another lockdown. Even if the situation progresses well in Guernsey, we are dependent on services beyond the island’s borders. So, we are focused on engaging early with people to avoid issues and looking to safeguard supplies.”

But as phase one approaches its end, the lessons the team has learned will no doubt stand them in good stead for phase two and the future.

Guernsey Property and Construction

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100 BEDS. NO REST. Guernsey’s Premier Building Contractor

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

A PREMIER PROJECT The Premier Inn building at Admiral Park is the first time the hotel chain has entered the Guernsey market, so it is also the first time a local contractor has worked for the Whitbread group.

For Rihoy’s managing director, Gavin Rihoy, it has been an interesting experience: “We have been provided with a very comprehensive building manual detailing all of their required standards. When you see what goes into building the hotel, you understand why you sleep so well in a Premier Inn. All of the current building regulations regarding sound and fire insulation are exceeded to ensure every room is warm, quiet and comfortable. Our clients don’t usually require us to build to this level so it’s been a good learning experience.”

Operations director, Robin Le Page, says it’s a responsibility to ensure they meet the brand’s standards and

attention to detail is key: “Before we do anything, we have a significant amount of information to review. We need to make sure the right materials are on site and we have the full details of what we need to do. Where in other circumstances we might make assumptions, or work on our own initiative, for this we need to ensure that nothing deviates from the instructions.

There is a lack of flexibility, but it means that decisions are very straightforward.”

THE BUILD HAS CONTINUED TO PROGRESS AND THE PREMIER INN IS ON TRACK TO BE COMPLETED LATER THIS YEAR.

But while those in charge at Premier Inn in the UK may know exactly what they want, they have been unable to monitor the build progress in the way they usually would. The restrictions in travelling to the island have meant that their team has not been able to visit the site.

solve: “Premier Inn staff have not been able to make it to the island to see their hotel. So all the sample rooms that are available for them to inspect can’t be physically seen by their team. We therefore helped them to find some local suppliers on-island who are not already involved in the project and are therefore able to objectively carry out some of the inspections that they would usually do themselves.”

With that solution in place, the build has continued to progress and the Premier Inn is on track to be completed later this year – ideally alongside a loosening of border controls in Guernsey so they can welcome more visitors.

For project manager, Andrew Ullyott, it’s been another problem to try to help Guernsey Property and Construction

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FEATURE

ADMIRAL PARK: PHASE TWO The final stage of the Admiral Park development has recently been approved by Guernsey’s Planning Department. Comprop is aiming to complete the site with a six-storey landmark office building, along with covered cycle spaces and an outside amenity area. It will mean a further £40 million of investment in the island and provide another boost for the construction industry.

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Guernsey Property and Construction

The new office building, Park Plaza House, will be the main attraction of this site – a 66,500sq.ft. six storey landmark building in the centre of Admiral Park. The plans also include the provision of 64 secured covered cycle spaces, the completion of the car park, and an area of amenity space to the front of the building, including a petanque court.

For managing director, Steve Marie, phase two will be a satisfying conclusion to Comprop’s longstanding involvement with the site, which dates back more than 20 years: “It will be great to finish off the Admiral Park site as a full development. We’ve looked at various ideas over the years

for the area, but we’ve needed the correct tenants to trigger the scheme.

This final development will mean that the whole Admiral Park area has been used efficiently and will make it more attractive for islanders.”

Architect Andy Merrett has also been responsible for the design of phase two. For him, the building needs to balance its attractiveness with its comfort for users, while sitting well within the rest of the development: “We have to focus on the design in context with the rest of the site, so have strived to create a characterful design which is harmonious with its surroundings but also has a strong individual character.

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

AIMING FOR BREEAM The ambition is for the second phase of the Admiral Park project to be the first BREEAM accredited building in Guernsey.

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) was launched in 1990 by the Building Research Establishment. It is now commonplace throughout the UK, and BREEAM accredited buildings have been completed in Jersey.

“The design incorporates a large curved element on the corner of the building. It will sit on a plinth of natural stone so that the height of the building is grounded. Articulated openings will use polished stone set in contrast to honed. Those quality materials will be used at the level where people can touch and see them and appreciate the textural difference. Higher up, more metal will be featured and the design effect will be given through the changes in colour between the glazing and the metal surrounds.

“As well as the use of materials such as natural stone, steel and glass, large areas of glazing will provide a highquality internal environment for the

It is described as a sustainability assessment method that is used to masterplan projects, infrastructure and buildings by setting standards for their environmental performance. This is done throughout the design, specification, construction and operation phases and can be applied to new developments or refurbishment schemes.

The BREEAM assessment focuses on sustainable value across categories ranging from energy consumption to pollution and waste, as well as a consideration of the materials used in the project. The reduction of carbon emissions, low impact design and ecological value are all considered.

Independent licenced assessors score the scheme, and it is certified both at design stage and at a post-construction assessment. If successful, the final rating can vary from ‘Pass’ through to ‘Outstanding.’

Developer Comprop has seen the scheme in use elsewhere and managing director, Steve Marie, said it’s time for Guernsey to adopt it as well: “This should be the benchmark for all developments. It’s the norm in the UK and now in Jersey, so it’s definitely the way forward for Guernsey.”

Guernsey Property and Construction

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FEATURE

future tenants. People are at the heart of every building we design, so we want to ensure they enjoy using it.”

The team is looking to start work on site in June, and the sooner the better. The anchor tenant for the new office building wants to be in place and working by June 2023.

It’s a tight turnaround, but the team believes they can achieve it.

JPC project manager Andrew Ullyott said the team can use the lessons learned in phase one to support their work in phase two, but their success

THE AIM IS FOR THE BUILDING TO ACHIEVE BREEAM ACCREDITATION, MEANING THAT IT WILL BE ASSESSED TO HIGH STANDARDS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND HOPEFULLY SET AN EXAMPLE FOR FUTURE ISLAND PROJECTS TO FOLLOW.

will depend on some creativity in their approach: “Rather than looking at how long the project will take, we are looking at how we get to the finished result within a set timeframe. That means that we simply don’t have time to approach it in the usual way.

Instead, we are working closely with Rihoy’s and the architect to ensure that we can deliver what is necessary.

“We are already progressing with some parts of the project, such as the environmental consultation. Comprop had the foresight with phase one to survey the whole site, but we are

now revisiting that area to ensure we can proceed as required.”

But the tight timeframe certainly won’t mean cutting any corners when it comes to the build quality.

The aim is for the building to achieve BREEAM accreditation, meaning that it will be assessed to high standards of sustainability and hopefully set an example for future island projects to follow.

NO SCREEN TIME Although the original plans for the site included a multiplex cinema, it is not forming part of the plans submitted for phase two of the development.

For Steve Marie, it is simply a question of supply and demand, as there is a genuine lack of interest from operators: “Back in 2019, when we announced the phase one development, our search for a cinema partner was still proving unproductive and, since then, no operators have expressed any interest. Even more so, as we have all lived with the global pandemic over the last year, our whole landscape, including how we use ‘entertainment’ formats, has changed.

“With the massive upsurge of online access to films and other media, to meet the need for us all to obtain entertainment from our own homes, the likelihood of investment in Guernsey by an external cinema operator seems even further away.”

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Guernsey Property and Construction

COMING UP IN THE AUTUMN EDITION...

Water issues Plumbing, bathrooms and much more

Legal matters From employing new staff, to signing property contracts, keeping it legal is crucial

Kitchens The latest trends and expert advice

COPY DEADLINE: FRIDAY 31ST JULY 2021

For editorial opportunities Contact Tamara Timothy on 07911 732398 or email editor@collaborateci.com For advertising opportunities email hello@collaborateci.com

GUERNSEY

PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION

FEATURE

marine facilities, to attract more visitors and expand the island’s ‘Blue Economy’ business. These include potential new marina developments within the existing harbours, or possibly Havelet Bay, which would provide an opportunity to address the current shortage of berths for larger leisure vessels.

The headline cost does not include development of new marinas or improved facilities for the leisure marine sector but the STSB says that if sufficient demand can be established, those elements could be progressed separately, with or without a new port development.

MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT PROPOSED FOR GUERNSEY PORTS Guernsey could see a once in a lifetime overhaul of its harbour arrangements, under radical new proposals to move commercial port activity to a new facility south of the Longue Hougue land reclamation site.

The States’ Trading Supervisory Board (STSB) has carried out a comprehensive review of the island’s harbour requirements and is proposing a £350 million scheme to improve arrangements and facilities. Their recommendations include moving all commercial port activity away from St Sampson’s Harbour – leaving the current harbour to focus on providing facilities for leisure boating, and giving the opportunity to regenerate and improve those areas.

Passenger services would remain at St Peter Port, along with all roll-on, roll-off freight. However, the main harbour cranes would be relocated to the new port, along with all lift on, lift off cargo operations.

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The proposals also suggest reconfiguring the current harbour, including building a new passenger terminal on North Beach. An underground car park at the Weighbridge roundabout end would replace any current spaces lost to the development.

THE PROPOSALS FOLLOW A REQUÊTE THAT WAS DEBATED BY THE STATES IN 2019, WHICH PROPOSED A MAJOR EXTENSION TO ST PETER PORT HARBOUR, EAST OF THE QEII MARINA.

The proposals have been costed at around £350 million, including the creation of the new port and the reconfiguration of St Peter Port. However, most of this would be for the construction elements, which would not begin before 2027 at the earliest – allowing time to consider all funding options.

The policy letter to the States also outlines plans to improve leisure

The proposals follow a Requête that was debated by the States in 2019, which proposed a major extension to St Peter Port Harbour, east of the QEII Marina. STSB was subsequently directed to carry out a review of the island’s harbour requirements, and assess “the impacts, practicalities, and potential benefits of relocating some commercial port operations away from St Peter Port.”

The location of the proposed new port, Longue Hougue South, has previously been identified by the States as a potential land reclamation site. This would involve the building of an outer breakwater, to enclose an area that can be infilled using inert waste materials from the construction and demolition industry.

The construction of a new port facility at Longue Hougue South would not be dependent on the proposed inert waste site going ahead. However, if the States agree to the STSB’s current proposals, the current design of any new land reclamation site in this location could be reviewed, to provide for the optimal port arrangements.

Full details of the proposals can be found at www.gov.gg/futureharbours

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Trafalgar Court up for sale Trafalgar Court comprises 113,713 sq.ft of Grade A space and is being marketed with a guide price of £59.15m, reflecting a net initial yield of 7%.

The office is let to two international financial organisations — Aztec Financial Services and Northern Trust. It produces a total rental income of £4.4m per year, with asset management opportunities to improve the income profile.

Stenprop has instructed D2 Real Estate to market the freehold investment of Trafalgar Court in St Peter Port, the largest office building in the island.

Trafalgar Court forms part of the Admiral Park mixed-use scheme, Guernsey’s key location for finance and professional services sectors.

Neighbouring occupiers include Aon, Investec and the Royal Bank of Canada.

Alex Titheridge, managing director of D2 Real Estate, said: “We anticipate the pricing discount Guernsey offers relative to the UK regions and major European cities will appeal to international buyers who have been active in this market. The offshore market has performed well in recent years as investors remain attracted by strong investment fundamentals.”

New chair and director for RED fund

RED fund has a new chairman in Catharine Walter (pictured) and a new director in Libby Burne.

The changes of the board of the Channel Islands real estate developer come after Andrew Haining stepped down as chairman and director, having held the position since RED fund was established in 2018.

“Andrew’s leadership was invaluable as we established the fund with a focus on commercial and residential property development opportunities and we thank him for his time, leadership and counsel. He hands over the chair role to Catharine Walter who has nearly 35 years’ property industry experience. Libby Burne joins Paul Bell and Paul Turner on the board and we welcome her two decades of real estate experience,” said Andy Taylor, head of real estate at Ravenscroft, which is investment manager to RED fund.

the benefit of the islands, local businesses, islanders and the economy.”

“Having made a number of significant acquisitions over the last two years, there are now a number of exciting plans for the sites owned by RED fund, which will deliver a return to investors and provide high quality commercial and residential developments for

“It is an exciting time to become chair of RED fund following a busy two years of acquisitions and I am delighted to have such a strong board to lead the fund forward,” she said.

Mrs Walter is a director of Walter Property Limited, a family owned property investment company based in the Channel Islands, and also serves as a director on a number of other property development and investment companies in Guernsey and Jersey. She is also a non-executive director and chairman of two Guernsey-based property funds with assets in the UK.

Halfway Café to become flats Planning permission has been granted for the former Halfway Café on Vale Road to be developed into flats.

The café closed to the public in October last year. The top floor flat has already been renovated into a rental property while the former café will become a twobedroom apartment.

Planning permission has also been granted to demolish the existing store and build eight garages.

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Another two properties could eventually be built on the existing carpark. However, the application for this part of the development has been deferred following concerns from neighbours about loss of privacy and the impact on adjoining properties.

A right of way through the car park to a number of other properties has been retained.

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Expansion at Watts Property Consultants Watts Property Consultants has expanded its team with three new appointments.

Chartered commercial property surveyor and RICS registered valuer, Vicky Watson (pictured), has joined the valuation team, Karen Riddle has joined to support the building consultancy team and Lorraine Le Patourel has added further strength to the property management team.

With growth in all areas of the business, their appointments will support the senior management team in supporting clients in all commercial sectors.

Vicky graduated in 1993 from Reading University with an Upper Second Class Honours

New appointments at JG Architecture

JG Architecture Ltd has made a number of appointments to support its growing business.

Founded by James Gavey, the firm has recently increased from five to seven members of staff within its new studio at Cobo Business Centre.

Nadine Gavey joined the firm in March as operations director. She will be working on business strategy, office management, HR and marketing, as well as administration support.

Nadine has a Masters qualification in human resource management. She has worked in HR, both on island and in London, and, most recently worked at senior management and board level within recruitment.

Degree in Land Management. She went on to qualify as a general practice chartered surveyor whilst working at Jones Lang La Salle in London’s West End. Vicky has worked as a surveyor in Guernsey since 2002, undertaking all aspects of general practice surveying.

Joanna Watts, managing director of Watts Property Consultants, said: “In spite of the recent pandemic, the commercial property market has remained buoyant. Our strategy has always been to grow a balanced business, with depth of experience and expertise in all disciplines. Vicky, Lorraine and Karen are a key part of us fulfilling this vision and we are delighted they have joined us.”

Monique Michel (pictured) has also joined the team as an architectural technician and interior designer. This is a new role which aims to offer clients an additional service of interior design. She is also currently studying for B.A (Cons) in interior design through Staffordshire University.

Additionally, Miles Pengelley has been promoted to practice manager. Since joining JG Architecture in 2016, Miles has delivered a variety of projects to clients along with assisting in new procedures within the studio.

Jersey Construction Awards returning for 2021 Following their cancellation last year, the Jersey Construction Council Awards have been scheduled to take place on Saturday 16 October at the Royal Jersey Showground.

Chairman of the awards sub-committee, Daren Malorey, said: “After what has been a very difficult time for all concerned in the construction industry, it now feels right that we should look to celebrate the successes over the past two years.”

completed during the Covid lockdown are not missed, submissions could be made for any projects completed between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2021. This will also be appropriate for any individual employed within an organisation during the same period.

Bookings are already being taken for the gala evening, and more information is available at www.jerseyconstruction.org

Members of the Jersey Construction Council were invited to submit their nominations by Friday 21 May. In order that those projects Guernsey Property and Construction

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Local equipment supplier sold to UK firm rental, training and logistics support offering.

“We are thrilled to move onto the next phase of our development,” said Paddy Cunningham, managing director of CAMS Hire.

CAMS Hire, a Guernsey-based construction equipment rental and support provider, has been acquired by GAP Hire Solutions, the UK’s largest privately-owned plant, tools and equipment rental provider.

GAP will add CAMS Hire to 4Group, the Jersey-based operation it purchased in 2018, creating a pan-Channel Islands equipment

“We have created a great team at CAMS and the resources and experience now available to us with GAP and 4Group will help us achieve even more. After an initial period of settling in, we will be working with our customers to develop new product offerings and provide new solutions to some of our unique island challenges.”

CAMS Hire will be rebranded to become 4hire.gg. Nigel Blandin, managing director of 4Group, said: “We have long wanted to offer a true inter-island solution and now is

the perfect time. Many of our customers are working in both islands and having the 4hire. gg team onboard will offer a vast range of equipment and solutions with local knowledge and support.”

Douglas Anderson, joint managing director of GAP Group added: “By adding CAMS Hire to the GAP portfolio, we can now truly offer our customers top to toe UK coverage with all of our 10 operating divisions. The drive and enthusiasm of the CAMS team to be the best in their beautiful island works perfectly with the innovation and quality we offer through 4hire and 4safety in Jersey. We will now be able to share resources and solutions to customers working across the Channel Islands.”

Investigatory works to take place at the Clarence Battery resulted in the collapse of the Clarence Battery steps. The States’ Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Services say they recognise the importance of La Vallette and the route up to the Clarence Battery as an access point to the cliff paths above and resolving the issue has remained a priority for them.

The next stage to restore the Clarence Battery steps will be getting underway in the coming months following the tendering for, and appointment of, a contractor to carry out detailed investigatory works.

In March 2020, a landslip occurred following a prolonged period of wet weather which

A local civil engineering contractor was appointed regarding the provision of rope access support to enable the inspection of the failed slope by a geotechnical engineer.

This produced a photographic inspection of the area which assisted in the creation of a 3D model.

A detailed site investigation is now required, which could not take place during the harsher winter months given the coastal location of the site. This will inform further design development and the specification of works to stabilise the slopes and reinstate the access route.

Tendering for these site investigations has now commenced and it is planned that works will commence as soon as is practicable.

In addition to the site investigation works at the area of the Clarence Battery steps, the contract is also for site investigation works at the “zig-zag path” which connects La Vallette to Le Val Des Terres.

Scope of works to Fermain military defence wall to be investigated which will culminate in a recommendation for a way forward, including requirements for further site investigation works.

The next step for progressing the stabilisation of the soft cliff and repair of the military defence wall at Fermain is underway following a successful tender appointment by the Coastal Infrastructure Team.

The appointed local consultant has begun a complete review of options for the reprofiling of the cliff and repair of the wall,

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No bids were received when the tender for design assistance was originally issued. The Coastal Infrastructure Team subsequently worked with those who had expressed initial interest in the project to understand how the works could be retendered successfully.

This proactive approach has proved effective as the team were able to appoint a local civil and structural engineering consultant earlier this month after going out to tender once more.

The work required at Fermain is much larger in scope than a standard wall repair due to

the need for both the re-profiling of the cliff (the major component of the project) and repair of the wall. It is also more challenging because of its location and the limitations that imposes upon access and equipment.

The assessment now taking place will provide both a preferred option for delivery and inform the scope of the investigatory works required in order to develop the preferred option for solution into a full detailed design. That detailed design will then be the next step, which will require a separate formal tendering process.

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St Peter Port regeneration areas consultation continues Development Framework, will then be considered by the Development & Planning Authority. If approved by the Authority, the Development Framework will become Supplementary Planning Guidance and anyone submitting planning applications will need to meet the requirements set out in it.

Following the first round of consultation at the end of last year, a draft Development Framework has now been produced for the St Peter Port regeneration areas, and members of the public have been invited to find out more about the proposals and submit their views.

The three regeneration areas comprise the Lower Pollet, South Esplanade and Mignot Plateau, and Mansell Street/Le Bordage.

Following consultation, the comments received, together with the final draft

A temporary public display detailing the vision statement and objectives for each area will be available to view in St Peter Port for the duration of the consultation period.

The Development & Planning Authority will also be facilitating two public drop-in sessions with representatives from the Planning Service.

prepared while taking into account the submissions from this initial round of consultation.

“It’s important that the public now have an opportunity to tell us what they think of this draft, even if they already contributed in the first round. The more people who get involved and have their say, the better the framework will be in ensuring that future plans respond to local needs and contribute to the areas’ vitality and vibrancy.”

Following this second consultation, the combined draft Development Framework for the three areas will be finalised. Deputy Victoria Oliver, President of the Development & Planning Authority, said: “We were really encouraged by the amount of interest during the initial consultation period. This draft Development Framework has been

Havelet infrastructure works in progress ongoing seawall maintenance programme.

For this, the contractor has taken the decision to split works into two sections during 2021 and limit them to outside of peak season in order to reduce their impact on visitors to the bay and businesses in the vicinity. The first section will be the northern end of the seawall, works will then cease over the summer season and resume in the autumn when works on the southern end will be undertaken.

A series of works to maintain, preserve and improve the coastal infrastructure and facilities in the Havelet area is taking place over the coming months. The works relate to a number of different projects, but are all part of ensuring the sea defences, Bathing Pools and other facilities are maintained to a high standard and preserved for the use of islanders in the years ahead.

Maintenance and repair of the Havelet seawall has already started as part of the Energy & Coastal Infrastructure Team’s

Works are also planned to be undertaken on the Ladies’ and Children’s Bathing Pools from June through to November. The works will refresh the entire pool surround (the concrete areas) as well as undertake essential maintenance to the pools themselves, including underpinning sections of erosion and restoring masonry to reduce leakage.

so that closures of both the Ladies’ and the Children’s pool at the same time is avoided.

However, there may be days where neither pool can be used depending on weather and tidal elements. The Gents’ pool will remain in use throughout.

Peter Barnes of the Coastal Infrastructure Team said: “We appreciate the disruption maintenance works like these can cause at sites as popular as Havelet, however it is important we undertake these proactive maintenance works to reduce the risk of significant damage. It is important to maintain these sea defences, and repair the pools, in order to provide a safe and enjoyable experience around the island’s coastline.”

The Coastal Infrastructure Team is seeking to minimise disruption to pool use during the course of these works and says they will make every effort to programme the works

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AWARDS

THE GUERNSEY PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION AWARDS 2021 Following their Covid-related cancellation in 2020, the Guernsey Property and Construction Awards are set for a triumphant return in 2021. Nominations are now open across the nine categories, with the winners set to be announced at a gala dinner in November.

GADOC performing at the 2019 Awards

Now in their eighth year, the awards celebrate the achievements, developments and innovation within Guernsey’s diverse property and construction industry. They feature a wide range of categories aimed at property experts, investors, contractors, architects, legal advisers, engineers, developers and other industry professionals.

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Previous winners have included Peter Falla from PF & A Architecture, Watts Property Consultants and the Fermain Tower project.

Guernsey property specialist and partner at Ogier, Martyn Baudains, said: “It’s so good to see the Guernsey Property and Construction Awards back this year and I’m delighted that Ogier is

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once again the gold sponsor of the event. We know that 2020 was a good year for the local property market but it was also a very tough year for the island’s construction industry – and how the industry confronted those challenges is certainly worthy of recognition and celebration.

I’m really excited about returning to the judging panel and seeing the outstanding achievements across the categories.”

This year’s awards include a number of new categories, including one specifically for gardening and landscaping professionals.

This category invites nominations from gardeners, landscapers, hardscapers, and all those who work towards construction projects in the great outdoors.

Jack Etheridge, director of Auburn Gardens, said: “We are really excited about the new landscaping category being held as part of the awards this year. It’s a great opportunity for the many skilled landscapers, garden designers, professional gardeners and contractors to showcase the fantastic work that is being regularly created in Guernsey for the first time in a professional award context. I would encourage everyone to nominate in the awards and am looking forward to a superb evening in November.”

The awards evening will be held at St Pierre Park Hotel, which was also the venue for the ceremony in 2019. Tickets are limited, so anyone wishing to attend is encouraged to book soon.

Julie Todd, co-founder and organiser of the awards said: “Given the difficult past 12 months experienced by everyone in the industry, it is pleasing to be able to plan for this year’s awards. With shifting priorities since the pandemic, the industry is adapting to new requirements and new public demands, and the thought of celebrating together at one huge event at the end of 2021 is wonderful.

“Everyone - from estate agents to landscapers, constructors to engineers - has truly been challenged this last year, so it’s exciting to be able to put on an event where we can all let our hair down and have fun.”

The public nomination period is open from Wednesday 12 May until Friday 27 August. The nine award categories are free to enter and will be impartially judged by a panel of industry experts. Initial public nominations can be made online – visit guernseyconstructionawards.com for full details.

SPONSORS Gold sponsor

THE GALA EVENING When Thursday 4 November Where St Pierre Park Hotel

Silver sponsors

What Arrival drinks, three-course meal with coffee, entertainment and the awards ceremony Cost Tickets are £75 each (£750 for a table of 10) Booking Email hello@collaborateci.com to reserve your seats

THE CATEGORIES FOR THIS YEAR’S AWARDS ARE: RISING STAR ENGINEERING PROJECT OF THE YEAR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR INDUSTRY SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR PROPERTY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR LANDSCAPE PROJECT OF THE YEAR BEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT UNDER £300K BEST CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OVER £300K LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

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LANDSCAPING

Photo courtesy of Sexton Green Landscapes

THE IMPORTANCE OF OUTSIDE The launch of the new “Landscape project of the year” category at this year’s Guernsey Property and Construction Awards has highlighted the importance of the sector.

From small private gardens to large commercial developments, paying attention to outside spaces can transform a property.

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Historically, landscapers have been somewhat the poor relation when it comes to construction projects – their input left until late and the importance of their contribution underestimated.

But recent years have seen a shift in that approach, with more attention being paid to outside spaces from the very start of projects.

For landscape designer Elliot Green, it’s a welcome development. His company, Sexton Green Landscapes, is involved in many major local projects, including Admiral Park and the redevelopment of La Grande Mare. He’s delighted that the importance of the outside environment is being recognised: “Previously, a development would be submitted to the Planning Department and the planners would add a few standard conditions regarding landscaping to the application. But

as the environment has become increasingly important at a public and government level, we have seen a lot more focus by the planners on local biodiversity and its effects.

“In the UK, biodiversity net gain has become a really important concept and that is being reflected in Guernsey. For example, we are currently involved in a project for the first time where an ecological assessment has been done and I’m now having input on the green infrastructure side before it is passed on to the architects.

They will then be expected to review our recommendations and implement them as much as possible, which is hugely different to the previous situation.”

On a more domestic scale, horticulturalist Jack Etheridge of

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Guernsey-based Sexton Green Landscapes has recently become the first local firm to be accredited by the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI).

BALI was established in 1972 to promote and support its members. It has more than 900 accredited members including landscape contractors, landscape architects, garden designers and suppliers.

Its aim is for its members to be the leaders of an environmentally, ethically and commercially sustainable landscape services industry.

For Elliot Green, accreditation has been a goal since he started the firm: “When I previously worked in the UK, I worked for a BALI-accredited firm and it was something I always wanted to achieve for Sexton Green. It offers opportunities for us, and also gives our clients confidence in the firm. We’re delighted to receive the recognition and are looking forward to being involved with the organisation going forward.”

For more information on BALI visit the website www.bali.org.uk Photo courtesy of Auburn Gardens

Auburn Gardens has seen a similar move towards early consideration of outside spaces. He says it’s something that clearly make sense: “If you plan the garden at the start of a project, you can potentially save yourself both time and money in the long run. A small tree planted before construction starts will be a lot bigger by the time it finishes. Gardens are not static – when we design and plant we are planning for the years to come. A carefully considered outside space makes all the difference to a property.”

But creating a masterpiece, whether small or large, requires more than just designers and gardeners. Luckily, there is a large skill base across the island, which Jack says is crucial: “We are very much dependent on other industries to make our project work, and that is made particularly easy in Guernsey because of the local

network. When I have a problem, there is always a friend I can call to help and I always know who will be the best person for a specific issue.

We work a lot with heavy machinery operators, but also stonemasons and tree surgeons and together we can ensure the project gets completed.”

IT’S A FASCINATING JOB, AND HOPEFULLY MORE RECOGNITION WILL NOT ONLY BENEFIT THOSE ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE INDUSTRY BUT ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER IT AS A CAREER.

The launch of the new award, and its potential recognition for all of those specialists, has been welcomed by both Elliot and Jack. Elliot has seen first-hand in the UK the benefits of winning an award and says it will be great for Guernsey: “Those involved in the industry are incredibly hardworking and very good at their jobs so it’s fantastic that they can get some credit. Having the ability to win a local award will give everyone something to aspire to, plus it’s always a benefit to a business to win something.”

For Jack, it’s a good chance to celebrate what can be achieved in the island: “Landscapers and gardeners generally don’t get the kudos they deserve. A landscaper is multi-skilled – a typical project could see them doing everything from carpentry to stonework to operating machinery. It’s a fascinating job, and hopefully more recognition will not only benefit those already involved in the industry but encourage more people to consider it as a career.”

Nominations are open for the “Landscape project of the year” category. More information on the criteria and how to nominate can be found at guernseyconstructionawards.com

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INTERVIEW

RG FALLA: TIME FOR CHANGE On Monday 2 February 1992, Mark Palfrey and Paul Mason both started work at RG Falla in Guernsey. Since then, their careers have taken different paths – but almost 30 years later, they will merge once more. This summer, Mark is due to pass over the reins of the company to Paul when he takes over as managing director of RG Falla.

With that handover approaching, they shared their thoughts on their careers, the MD role, and where the company is headed from here.

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Mark Palfrey and Paul Mason have spent the bulk of their careers at the Garenne Group. They have just five months in age between them, and similar backgrounds, but have followed different career paths to get to this point. While Paul has been with RG Falla since 1992, Mark moved around the different companies within the group before taking up the RG Falla managing director role four years ago. Now he’s ready to hand it over.

The decision was made at the end of last year that Paul would step up to managing director – have you been in a transition period since then?

Paul: Yes, to an extent, although I have been extremely busy with a major construction project which has been my main focus. Since accepting the role, I have been gleaning as much as possible from Mark to ensure that I am fully briefed in running the company. I have great experience in running large scale projects and need to adapt my skills to run the business.

Mark: I am full time in the management position until the end of the financial year, so it’s still my responsibility and my decision making. Paul has been on the board of directors for many years so he’s been aware of the decisions we’ve been making as a board.

But there are some decisions that will come good in the medium or longer term and that’s going to be on Paul’s watch, so Paul has been more active in that decision making now as he knows he’s going to be more responsible for the delivery later. But I’m not walking away from the firm, so Paul’s got the support he needs to take on those new responsibilities. It should be an exciting time.

It’s going to be a demanding role, why did Paul want it?

Paul: It’s in my DNA. During my career with RG Falla, I have worked on a variety of fantastic projects in a number of roles, including being a director of the company, so it’s a natural progression. When Mark

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said he was looking to step down, it was a surprise and I needed to be certain that I would be successful in the role. I am very much driven by success and my strong loyalty to the company. If you cut me in half, you’d see ‘cream, green and the RG Falla logo’.

Is Paul the right person for the job?

Mark: Absolutely, very much so.

Paul has ambition, he has drive, he has enthusiasm, he’s got the knowledge of the company, he’s got the knowledge of Guernsey and of the challenges that the construction industry has. He’s got all the right credentials – he’s in the right place at the right time for the right job and he’s going to do fine.

Les Beaucamps School

You both started at RG Falla on the same day, but you’ve taken different paths since then. Does that difference in backgrounds mean you’ll approach the job in slightly different ways?

Together: Definitely.

Mark: I think that’s a positive, because companies need to refresh to be relevant, they need to refresh for the staff to feel that the company hasn’t gone stale.

Any individual, no matter how good they are, if they hold the same position for too long, the company can’t reinvigorate itself. So I think it’s healthy. RG Falla has had successions of managing directors but they’ve all grown from within the company so staff can realise there are opportunities and your talent will be recognised. Guernsey is good at being dependable, reliable and traditional – and all those things sit well with RG Falla. We try to take on the most ambitious projects and we deliver them well. We do it with a confidence that we know what we can do because we know what we’re all about. Paul’s got all of that. He’s going to bring his own personality to the role of course – that will be

The Ladies’ College

good. But he’s bound to bring a different style of approach because he’ll bring different experiences.

Paul: Mark and I are different characters but we complement one another. We have a great team led by Mark. Over the past four years, I have been able to observe his leadership skills first-hand, which will stand me in good stead and enable me to reflect on his approach.

AS A COMPANY, WE’VE BUILT MANY PROJECTS IN GUERNSEY, AND WE’RE REALLY PROUD OF WHAT WE’VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.

What has Paul learned from Mark during his time as managing director?

Paul: Business savvy! My skills are in construction whereas Mark

is more of a businessman. So Mark’s leadership and business skills are those from which I have learned the most.

What has Mark achieved during his tenure as managing director?

Mark: As a company, we’ve built many projects in Guernsey, and we’re really proud of what we’ve been involved with. But over the past four years, and actually even further back than that, the construction industry in Guernsey has had a quiet period with very little States spending. When you’re a company like RG Falla, which is set up to do major projects, and government stops spending it’s

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INTERVIEW

The RG Falla team on site at Les Beaucamps school (2012)

Generali (now Utmost)

not ideal. It also coincided with uncertainty in the open market.

When demand drops off like that, you have the option to cut parts of the business. But we decided that rather than do that, we’d use the time to invest in training and improving our staff. We’ve been getting ready for the upturn in activity that we are now seeing – and we’ve spent time and money ensuring that our staff are ready.

We’ve worked on improving our processes and procedures and I think that we’re a better company than we were four years ago.

The current situation (with Covid restrictions) has proven that our model works – we directly employ more than 100 staff, so we can keep delivering a quality service.

With the industry now so busy, it’s the right time for a managing director to take over who has all the construction skills.

Does Paul feel he’s taking over a company in good shape?

Paul: Yes. This time last year, when the secondary school projects were cancelled, we had many members of our management staff lined up to potentially work on those, so we needed to find other roles for

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them. Now we’re in a position where we need to be selective about the projects we take on, and with the States of Guernsey’s promises of major spending, we need to be up front and central when they’re selecting contractors.

The construction industry is expected to be buoyant for the next couple of years so it’s a great time to take over. We’ve got a very good team. As Mark said, part of his role for the past four years was making the team leaner and sharper and getting the best staff. However, I think there’s still work to do there – we can strengthen the team with the right people, so I’m looking forward to achieving this.

You both seem passionate about the industry, is that the case?

EVERYWHERE YOU DRIVE IN GUERNSEY, YOU SEE A PLACE YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH BUILDING. IT GIVES YOU A PERSONAL ATTACHMENT TO THE ISLAND AND A REAL PRIDE.

Paul: Yes, you need to be passionate in this industry. I’ve got the knowledge, drive, enthusiasm and determination to ensure that every client is delighted on the completion of their finished product.

Mark: It’s probably too late in our careers to start over, but I’ve got no regrets. It’s fun. Stressful fun, but pleasurable. Every day you

can stand back and take a look at something and say, that’s a real thing that I helped create.

Paul: There is a reward for your efforts, more so than just getting a salary. I can drive down to Footes Lane, for example, and feel immense pride to see not only the Grammar School but the Sixth Form Centre and the Garenne Stand that RG Falla built. To see people utilising and enjoying something that you and your team has physically created gives tremendous job satisfaction and, for all involved, a great sense of pride.

Mark: Everywhere you drive in Guernsey, you see a place you were involved with building. It gives you a personal attachment to the island and a real pride. As a firm, we’ve been involved with the hospital, the schools, the post office, the sports facilities, the courts, the police station – we’ve built the infrastructure of the island. It’s great to hold that legacy and that brand and I’m proud of it.

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MEET THE MANAGING DIRECTORS

MARK PALFREY

PAUL MASON

Managing director 2017 - 30 June 2021

Managing director from 1 July 2021

How did you get into the industry?

“It was really by chance. I wanted to be an architect and obtained the necessary O Levels at my secondary school in Brighton. The careers advisor there told me to do a full-time course at the polytechnic but they didn’t mention that it could be sponsored by an employer. By the time I realised that and wrote to architectural practices, they had all filled their intake. A builder sponsored me, but they were looking for a quantity surveyor so I ended up taking that route. It’s been a career I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.”

How did you get into the industry?

“I passed eight O Levels, but only did really well in maths so decided to start A Levels in pure and applied maths. I lasted a term before a careers advisor suggested I start an OND course (equivalent to BTEC level 3) in Bournemouth. I excelled at that so I progressed to an HND in London. I was sponsored by Higgs and Hill, which meant I would spend two terms at university and then the summer out in industry. I spent my first year learning engineering, my second quantity surveying, and my third planning, before graduating and taking up a management role with Higgs and Hill in Poole.”

Why Guernsey?

“I was working in the south of England and RG Falla advertised some vacancies in a Southampton newspaper.

A colleague showed it to me and suggested I apply.

After an interview in a Southampton hotel and another one in Guernsey, I decided to come over on a threeyear licence. Then I met my wife and stayed.”

Proudest achievement?

“Working in construction, you’d think it would be the projects we’ve completed, but actually for me it’s the personal development you see in others. I get such a buzz from helping colleagues to find their full potential through recognising their strengths and helping them grow and succeed.”

CV highlights Mark has moved around many areas of the Garenne Group in both Guernsey and Jersey including heading up RG Falla, AFM and Camerons. He is currently a Garenne Group main board director. Mark is a former chair of the Guernsey branch of the Institute of Directors, a former chair of the Guernsey branch of the Chartered Institute of Building, a former president of the Jersey Building Employers Association and he has twice chaired the Guernsey Building Trades Employers Association.

Why Guernsey?

“I initially worked with a great team, with a top-notch construction director in London. I learned a great deal from him and working on that project. His next project was the construction of the new A&E and radiology departments at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital. He asked me to join the team for Guernsey and I jumped at the chance. I knew the island well and had visited many times as a competitive swimmer. On completion of the PEH project, I joined RG Falla and nearly 30 years later …”

Proudest achievement?

“I’ve worked on a huge range of projects. When I first joined RG Falla I started working at Credit Suisse, then moved on to the MSG development before working at the High Street Boots store to create the lower level. When I look back at the portfolio we’ve created over the past 29 years – Les Beaucamps School, Grammar School Sixth Form Centre, Garenne Stand, Generali, The Ladies’ College – I’m very proud of all those projects, very proud of the team involved in each project and very proud to be part of RG Falla.”

CV highlights Prior to taking up the managing director role, Paul was construction director at RG Falla. He has previously worked as site agent and project manager on many of the firm’s notable projects. In April 2014 Paul became a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Constructors at a ceremony at the Stationers Hall in the City of London. He is currently the president of the Guernsey Building Trades Employers Association.

Guernsey Property and Construction

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ESTATE AGENTS From residential to commercial, and sales to rentals, Guernsey’s property market is booming across the sectors. But what’s the story behind the headlines? The island’s leading estate agents and experts share their thoughts on the industry and offer advice on everything from how to rent your home to how to get the right mortgage.

MORTGAGE ADVICE

Getting mortgage ready Mortgage demand in Guernsey is high and the short supply of available housing stock means purchasers need to move quickly. It is therefore more important than ever for home buyers to be ‘mortgage ready’. Roger Hughes from Skipton International gives his advice.

If you have been following what’s going in the property world, you’ll be well aware there are currently numerous incentives for anyone who wants to buy a home. While some of the high street banks offer 95% loans, local mortgage provider, Skipton, currently offers all local residential mortgages on a fee free basis.

But don’t get excited just yet… there’s still the small matter of the mortgage lenders’ checks.

When you apply for a mortgage, you will have your finances and income scrutinised and, even if you have the required deposit, if you don’t pass affordability tests you may still be rejected.

IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN A 100% MORTGAGE, SUCH AS SKIPTON’S NEXT GENERATION MORTGAGE, WITH PARENTAL GUARANTEE, BUT IT IS ALWAYS WISE TO HAVE SAVINGS BEHIND YOU FOR LEGAL FEES AND MOVING COSTS.

Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to improve your chances of getting that all important ‘yes’ from a mortgage lender. In fact, getting yourself mortgage-ready won’t just help you get accepted, it will also mean you could beat others in the queue for a property.

Here are some tips to help anyone preparing to take out a mortgage get themselves into the best place possible before applying.

Save, save, save It’s always best to research your savings account options to make sure you’re getting every possible penny of interest. Whilst rates are currently low, every penny can count when saving for your deposit.

The amount of deposit you need to save varies according to the mortgage you take out. In certain circumstances, it is possible to obtain a 100% mortgage, such as Skipton’s Next Generation Mortgage, with parental guarantee, but it is always wise to have savings behind you for legal fees and moving costs.

Affordability Mortgage lenders will consider a number of factors when providing property funding. The property itself needs to be a safe bet, which is why a surveyor and

conveyancer are always enlisted, but the primary discussions will revolve around you, the applicant.

Mortgage providers will look at your salary and age, and consider income and expenditure.

Skipton International focuses very much on affordability. What can you afford to pay each month? Obviously, income is considered, but so are things such as car loans, store cards and children.

It stands to reason that children cost money, so affordability is crucial if you are to take on a loan and be able to repay it month after month.

Credit search Understanding how credit records work, and how they could be improved is the first step to ensuring you are in the best possible position to apply for a mortgage.

As part of the underwriting process, Skipton International uses TransUnion and Channel Island Data Services (CIDS) to obtain a copy of your credit report. The report will not show who you have credit facilities with, but will confirm your credit limits and your repayment history.

Try to avoid new debt in the run up to applying for a mortgage Try not to overburden your credit card or use your entire overdraft, as lenders may think you’re in financial difficulty. Equally, applying for credit too often can reduce your chances, as each application is marked even if you’re not approved.

Approval in principle The best option is to arrange to chat to one of Skipton International’s friendly mortgage team. It’s entirely free and they will run through the whole process with you, as well as advise you on your specific circumstances. They will base any decision on affordability, and are often in a position to lend more than others.

An approval in principle can often be given in minutes, meaning you can confidently start to view properties, knowing you are in the best possible position to move quickly.

Happy house hunting!

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ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

An unusual year for the industry The immediate recovery of the local property market was one of the major economic stories, and perhaps surprises, of 2020. A similar bounce back has been recorded after 2021’s lockdown. Livingroom founder and CEO, Simon Torode, shares how the industry has reacted to the boom, and explains how digital services have helped surmount the issues posed by travel restrictions and lockdowns.

Livingroom was 15 years old in January of this year, so we’ve got plenty of experience in the Guernsey property market. But I’ve never seen anything like what happened after the Covid-19 enforced Bailiwick lockdown of 2020.

It seemed that the whole of Guernsey wanted to be on the move to a new parish, a bigger house, or out of their childhood bedroom or suddenly intolerable flat share.

PROVIDING THE INVESTMENT CONTINUES TO BE MADE IN MORE RELIABLE NETWORKS, COVID HAS PROVEN THAT WORKING FROM A REMOTE LOCATION CAN BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE, IS COMMONPLACE AND PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE.

It’s certainly the case that being stuck at home forced many to re-evaluate what they want and value from the place we call ‘home’. We had countless conversations with sellers and buyers who were perfectly happy with their home in late 2019 but, after three months stuck inside it, realised it either didn’t work for them on a practical level, wasn’t what they wanted anymore, or simply didn’t make them happy.

With lockdowns and travel restrictions interrupting usual market activity and viewings, we’ve turned to digital services more than ever to continue to reach customers all over the world.

A digital present and future For us, our digital presence has always been instrumental to what we do.

Pre-Covid, Guernsey already had a reputation for providing a high-quality lifestyle for many.

But for those who were previously unaware of the Bailiwick, our low Covid levels and secure borders have placed us in their spotlight and offered a tangible and safe location to relocate to. This has driven significant increases in digital traffic from the UK, Europe and further afield.

on the strength of a video viewing alone.

The world can be shrunk by video conferencing technology such as Zoom, which is perhaps another reason why most can now choose to relocate to our island and work remotely with global markets. Providing the investment continues to be made in more reliable networks, Covid has proven that working from a remote location can be just as effective, is commonplace and perfectly acceptable.

Guernsey grows in popularity Guernsey is enormously attractive for many reasons but to those who currently face hours of commuting and rarely see their children, it’s no wonder we are seeing considerable enquiries from potential residents.

What’s really exciting for Guernsey is the changing demographic of newcomers. We’re seeing an increase in families with young children seeking true involvement in our society together with techsavvy inspirational leaders moving their companies here – often providing great job opportunities for islanders in exciting global businesses. These types of residents can change island life for the better and mark a revolution in inward migration that Guernsey should actively embrace.

Whichever way you look at it, change has already happened. We’ve all faced complications, issues and even lost loved ones from an unexpected virus; yet it appears that if we are happy at home, it’s easier to deal with a constantly changing world.

Our ability to provide digital solutions meant we were able to host video viewings for prospective residents based overseas (and for some based on-island) and some even bought properties

Guernsey Property and Construction

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ESTATE AGENTS

Navigating the rental market Estate agency, Carré Property Limited, has a particular specialism in rental properties, and founder Julie Carré has a wealth of experience in the sector. She told us how the past year has affected the rental market, and offers advice to landlords and tenants on how to navigate the current situation.

The rental market is incredibly busy at the moment and has been for quite some time since we came out of the first lockdown in 2020.

There is a shortage of properties in all sectors and demand is outstripping supply.

There are many factors fuelling that demand, but one of the main drivers seems to be a high number of people coming over to work on the island – from single persons to families.

Lockdown restrictions have also given people a chance to re-evaluate their life choices and some are now looking for properties with additional space to allow them to work from home, or those without any outdoor space are looking for garden areas.

While there is plenty of demand, rental properties themselves are in very short supply.

WE WOULD ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT THE TYPE OF PROPERTY THEY WOULD BE INTENDING TO PURCHASE BEFORE PLANNING TO BECOME LANDLORDS

The recent buoyant sales market has opened up opportunities for landlords to obtain very good prices for their properties and many have decided to sell their investments at this time.

This in turn has created a shortage of rental properties across the market. Many people currently looking for a home to rent are having to do so because their landlord has decided to sell rather than extend their lease.

I’ve worked in this business since 1981 and I have not seen a situation like this before. I believe it will continue until there are new properties available to rent. There are many local families in very difficult situations as they are unable to find an affordable home to rent. It is particularly difficult for those with pets as unfortunately many apartments are either unsuitable due to lack of outside space or the property schedule for the building not allowing pets.

For those already in properties, we have seen that, where leases have been extended, many of our landlords have taken into consideration

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their tenant’s situation during lockdown and kept their rent at the current figure, rather than applying an RPI increase. On the other side of the equation, tenants are also aware of the shortage of alternative properties and most have decided to renew their leases this year, rather than look to move.

For anyone looking to try to rent a property, my advice would always be the same. I would recommend that they regularly phone the estate agencies to ask about any new instructions. We are getting email enquiries from many people to go onto the mailing list daily and this list is extensive. Whilst we always try to contact people as soon as something suitable comes available, it can take hours to work through our lists and, unfortunately, someone will always be disappointed.

With this demand, there is obviously the opportunity for new landlords to enter the market. However, we would always recommend that people think carefully about the type of property they would be intending to purchase before planning to become landlords. Certain properties are more suitable for rental, and we are always happy to point prospective landlords in the right direction. They need to consider the age and general condition of the property, together with any service charge payments, its location and the availability of good parking facilities – whether on site or on-street. Property is a good long-term investment but a landlord must realise there will be ongoing maintenance payments to keep the property in good order.

We know that good landlords attract good tenants, and we pride ourselves on offering a service to help both.

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

UP FOR SALE: HOW TO SELL YOUR HOUSE SUCCESSFULLY If you’re looking to put your house on the market, there are a few simple things you can do to make it more attractive to prospective purchasers. Here are our top tips – as well as a few pitfalls to avoid.

DO

DON’T

Make a good impression – first impressions matter, so make sure your front garden is tidy and give your front door a clean.

Do too much – while a lick of paint can help make your house more attractive, don’t waste money on things like a new kitchen or bathroom. You won’t make the money back in the sale, and many people buying a house would rather choose their own.

Keep it clean – inside and out, make sure your house is spick and span. Deep clean the house before photos and viewings, and don’t forget things like cleaning the windows.

Clear it out – a good declutter can make your house look bigger. Clear your surfaces and tidy away items such as toys as much as you can.

Time it right – Guernsey’s property market might be booming at the moment, but usually you should think about the time of year to put your house on the market. The winter, and times such as Christmas, are notoriously slow. Stick to spring and summer if you can.

Make it personal – clear away family photos and very distinctive items. You want the purchaser to imagine themselves living there rather than seeing it as your home.

And finally, it’s always worth getting a fresh pair of eyes to look at the house before you put it on the market. Ask a friend or family member for an honest assessment – they might be able to spot the things you’ve missed, which might make all the difference when it comes to a successful sale.

DIY – all those little jobs might be easy to ignore when you’re living there, but get them done before you put the house on the market and it will be more attractive.

SPECIALISTS IN RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Carré Property are able to provide assistance and advice on all aspects of local market residential property sales and specialise in lettings and property management.

Established in 2008, we can assure all clients that they are dealing with a professional agency who will provide them with the security, experience and reliability expected. We have an excellent team of tradesmen available and will ensure your property is in safe hands 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you are looking for a professional, responsible and efficient agent to care for your rental property please call our office on 249168 to discuss your requirements in further detail.

Members of Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA Propertymark), Fellow of the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA Propertymark), Regulated by the GFSC, Members of the Property Ombudsman Scheme and Propertymark Client Money Protection Scheme.

ESTATE AGENTS

A new business for a new era Jon Sheppard set up his new estate agency just as the Covid-19 pandemic took effect last year. A year on, he looks back at why he established Sheppards Estate Agents and how the business has fared in this most unusual of times.

I opened an estate agency as the world plummeted into a global pandemic.

At first glance, that does not sound like it would go to plan. Following 20 years as an employee in the property industry, I decided that I wanted to merge all of my acquired skills to benefit people wishing to buy and sell property in Guernsey.

This experience, combined with my desire to deliver excellent customer service, finally forced my hand to set up Sheppards Estate Agents 15 months ago. It’s been a whirlwind ever since.

HAVING A GOOD DIGITAL PRESENCE IS SO IMPORTANT AND CAN OFTEN BE THE MAKE OR BREAK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINNING AN INSTRUCTION OR LOSING IT.

If you are currently looking for property, you are likely stood in a long queue. In less than a year, Guernsey’s property market has gone from having ample housing stock, to a market drier than the Sahara, thus causing the highest annual rise in house prices since records began. There is currently a huge demand for property, likely as a direct impact of the pandemic and national lockdowns – Guernsey has quickly become ‘the place to live’.

Quality property on island is like gold dust: “We saw a property we liked, called to book a viewing and 15 minutes later received a call back to say it had gone!” What would have been a highly unusual situation a year ago has become a common occurrence for anyone stood in the current queue for local property.

Quality property is here in Guernsey, but you must be as lucky as a leprechaun with a four-leaf clover to be chosen as a purchaser.

To keep up with this demand I had to ensure my new company was competitive with Guernsey’s long-standing estate agents, during a pandemic and through two lockdowns – no pressure there then!

Having a good digital presence is so important and can often be the make or break difference between winning an

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instruction or losing it. Sheppards exists not only with a physical office but through our own website and social media platforms. It is an easy way to chat with people about their property plans, needs, wants and wishes.

As a vendor you will go to great lengths to make your property stand out so we utilise our digital presence to highlight the best of your property in every way we can. Often this starts with photos, so I send in Jasmine - our creative guru, who prides herself in getting our clients exceptional photographs of their property. Our closeworking team also includes Lisa - our business support, who monitors emails and calls to ensure everyone can reach us and be responded to very quickly, if not instantly at times.

Finally, I am the managing director who thrives in this busy environment and ensures that the ship runs smoothly. As a small business we not only know the finite details of each and every property on our books, we know and understand you.

We should be up and running in our new St Martin’s office later in the year and would love you to come along and check out our new premises, where you can stop for a cup of tea and chat about your property journey with myself, Jasmine or Lisa.

Let Sheppards guide you home

Guernsey’s newest estate agent www.sheppards.gg

info@sheppards.gg +44 1481 722280

ESTATE AGENTS

Commercial property in the Channel Islands Alex Titheridge is the new managing director of D2’s Guernsey office. Although a newcomer to the island, he has had a longstanding interest in the Channel Islands and has been involved in transactions in both Jersey and Guernsey during his career. Here, he shares his first impressions of the commercial property sector and what he hopes to achieve in his new role.

When I’m asked why I wanted to move to the Channel Islands, the varied role and the challenge of running a multi-disciplinary office was certainly one of the attractions of relocating. I have worked with Phil Dawes and his team in Jersey previously and was impressed with the forward thinking and professionalism of the business. Guernsey is a key area of growth for D2 and I’m excited about cementing them as the number one commercial property advisor in the Channel Islands.

OCCUPIERS ARE DEMANDING MUCH MORE FROM THEIR OFFICES AND ARE EXPECTING BETTER QUALITY AMENITIES AND A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY TO ENCOURAGE WELLBEING

Being new to Guernsey, getting to know the people and the island is my priority. There are many nuances to the Channel Islands and it will take time to appreciate them and build local market knowledge. Part of my role is also to be a conduit to the UK and demystify the Channel Islands for the mainland market to open up new opportunities.

D2 has recently released a report reviewing the importance of the office to Channel Islands’ occupiers. As businesses implemented their ‘working from home’ strategies during the various lockdowns, the big topic was what the future held for offices.

What was clear is that we need to create the right office environment. Those landlords who do not work collaboratively with occupiers will quickly get left behind. Occupiers are demanding much more from their offices and are expecting better quality amenities and a focus on sustainability to encourage wellbeing. This should be a key focus when refurbishing or marketing empty space and developers need to be forward-thinking and creative.

Over the past year there have been some notable successes in Guernsey, where landlords have delivered contemporary workspaces in buildings that have been vacant for many years and been rewarded with them being pre-let, such as Windsor House. It shows that demand is there for the right product.

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In terms of investment performance in the Channel Islands, it appears to have come through the pandemic unscathed, particularly when compared with the UK. The market is seen as a safe haven for investors seeking yield and long leases let to strong covenants, so demand remains strong and yields have held up well.

I was involved seven years ago in the previous sale of Admiral Park’s Trafalgar Court and D2 has recently been instructed to sell the property again, with a quoting price of £60m. It’s obviously a prestigious instruction for the business but is also a huge inward investment opportunity for the island, and should be a good barometer of the market.

I am hopeful about the political will to reduce bureaucracy around the planning process and deliver much-needed commercial and residential projects. It’s something that has been successful elsewhere, such as permitted development rights in the UK (where redevelopment or refurbishment can occur without the need for planning permission).

For Guernsey, I think it would have a particular impact on the potential to re-purpose older and obsolete office stock. That is not necessarily straightforward in St Peter Port, given that many buildings are listed and their configuration may not suit conversion. But with such a huge surge in demand for residential property on the island this would seem a natural solution.

Another theme that is becoming increasingly relevant across our managed portfolio (now worth £500m+) is the importance of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG). Occupiers and landlords alike are becoming increasingly aware and, with both Guernsey and Jersey’s drive to be carbon neutral, we see this as a major focus. This is an area where the property manager can make a difference and is something we have been focusing on for some time now. We suspect the days of property managers simply collecting rent will soon be a thing of the past and they will need work collaboratively with both landlords and occupiers to provide meaningful solutions.

In a changing commercial property market, expert knowledge is key

We provide unrivalled market knowledge combined with a truly global perspective.

• Leading Investment Agent - In 2020 the team has been involved in over 80% of all commercial property investment transactions in the Channel Islands • Leading Valuation Team - In 2020 £285m+ valued, largest team of RICS registered valuers in the Channel Islands • 2020 Property Management – Managed portfolio worth £500m+.

Run by RICS qualified staff, delivering ESG and following best practice • Latest Published Market Research To find out how we can support your real estate strategy with research insights and strategic advice:

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Local market experts with a global mindset JERSEY

GUERNSEY

4th Floor, Conway House, 7-9 Conway Street, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 3NT T +44 (0) 1534 629001 E enquiries@d2re.co.uk

Carinthia House, 9-12 The Grange, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 2QJ T +44 (0) 1481 723375 E enquiries@d2re.co.uk

COMMENT

Property market rallies despite the challenges of the pandemic Carey Olsen partner Jason Morgan, head of the Guernsey property team, looks back at the past year to assess the impact of the pandemic on the island’s property and bond activity.

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the local property market over the past 12-15 months has been stark – with record highs and record lows for quarterly activity a regular occurrence.

Let us not forget, we began 2020 having just ended 2019 with the Guernsey local market experiencing its highest level of annual sales activity since 2011. Indeed, the figures for 2019 as a whole, showed a 4% rise on the total recorded for 2018, with 879 local market transactions.

THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021 WAS OF COURSE AFFECTED BY GUERNSEY’S SECOND LOCKDOWN, BUT EITHER SIDE OF THAT PERIOD, ACTIVITY AND CONFIDENCE IN THE MARKET HAS REMAINED STRONG.

However, roll on three months and much had changed, not only in Guernsey but also across the world. Lockdown restrictions introduced in March 2020 saw quarterly figures drop, just as they were on course to beat previous highs, while upon entering Q2 we saw only 15 local market houses and flats change hands during April – the fewest for any month from available records. It meant that in Q2, we saw the lowest level activity for four years.

Things changed though in Q3 and Q4 of 2020 with confidence returning to the property market unabated, and a post-lockdown surge delivering the highest combined total of house and flats sales seen in Guernsey during any quarter since Q4 of 2006 – first for July to September, but also October to December. It meant that for 2020 as a whole, the Guernsey local market saw a total of 1,017 transactions take place (766 houses and 251 flats). This was 16% more than the total recorded in 2019 and the most for any year since 2007 when 1,145 local market properties were sold.

The first quarter of 2021 was of course affected

by Guernsey’s second lockdown, but either side of that period, activity and confidence in the market has remained strong.

The strength of performance of the property market has also perhaps predictably been reflected by the number and value of bonds (documents securing lending against real

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property) registered on the Greffe records.

Indeed, the total number of bonds registered in 2020 (some 1,200) was almost identical to the number registered in 2019 and the highest number of bonds recorded since 2012. More notably, the value of the bonds registered in 2020, of just over £500 million, again an almost identical figure to the one recorded in 2019, was higher by over £100 million than in any of the last 10 years and higher than in any year since before the financial crisis.

So why the appetite of so many to commit to borrowing such large sums of money to buy new properties and re-mortgage existing ones during a pandemic, given all the uncertainty created by it around economic, working and other conditions, for the future? And why too, in such circumstances, the enthusiasm of more lenders to the market than at any point in the recent past (a mix of some 10 or so high street and private banks and peer-to-peer lenders) to make such finance available?

Where borrowers are concerned, the fact that interest rates remain so low and employment prospects in Guernsey are showing no imminent signs of being adversely affected by the events of the last 12 months, must be the main drivers for the dramatic uplift in borrowing. An additional factor will almost certainly be that those with any savings at all, will likely regard an investment in Guernsey real property to be as safe a bet, both in income (for rental properties) and capital terms, as it ever has been. Certainly, such an investment will be seen by many as trumping putting cash in a bank, or speculating on other investments that are either now, or likely for the future, to be impacted by the turmoil circling financial markets.

More than any of the factors already referenced, however, is the fact that Guernsey, notwithstanding the pandemic and perhaps in some ways because of it, has never been a more attractive place to live or relocate to.

Combining technical expertise with a commercial approach, our highly-experienced property team acts on a broad range of commercial real estate and development projects in Guernsey.

Our work includes acquisitions and disposals, landlord and tenant agreements, financing and secured transactions, joint venture agreements as well as contentious and non-contentious matters, including planning appeals and other disputes.

To find out more, contact:

Jason Morgan Partner

D +44 (0)1481 741563 E jason.morgan@careyolsen.com

Davey Le Marquand Partner

D +44 (0)1481 732009 E davey.lemarquand@careyolsen.com

With you every step of the way P R O P E R T Y L AW S P E C I A L I S T S CA RE Y H O U S E LES B AN QUES ST P ETER P ORT GY1 1B Z

BIGGER PICTURE careyolsen.com

COMMENT

Guernsey’s housing boom what does it really mean for first-time buyers?

Ogier’s Guernsey property expert, Advocate Martyn Baudains, advises on all aspects of residential and commercial property.

He delves behind the headlines to look at the reality for those looking to buy a property in the island.

The past year has seen no shortage of media coverage about Guernsey’s “runaway” housing market and its “unrelenting” rise in property prices. But is there more to the statistics than the headlines suggest?

Figures show that the average local market purchase price was just shy of half-a-million pounds in the fourth quarter of 2020, a figure of £493,174 and a 5.9% rise on the previous quarter, and 11.8% higher than the fourth quarter of 2019.

This amounts to the largest annual rise in average property prices since 2008, and unofficial figures for 2021 show the local market median for the first quarter currently stands at a hefty £550,875 – all of which makes for discouraging reading for local buyers.

TALK OF A LOCAL MARKET BOOM CAN BE QUITE DISHEARTENING BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT PROPERTIES AT THE MORE AFFORDABLE END OF THE MARKET ARE STILL AVAILABLE.

These numbers seemingly put home ownership way beyond the means of most people not already on the fabled ladder, impacting younger and first-time buyers, in particular. And with estate agents speaking publicly about a lack of available housing on the market, it’s little wonder that concerns over Guernsey’s affordable housing crisis have heightened.

But while certain sectors of the local market have seen a boom in prices, this is not the full story, as the way these statistics are reported is often too simplistic.

What we’re seeing is a real demand for property in the £400,000 to £700,000 bracket, which is really driving the average price up. We’re seeing movement at the top end, too, but perhaps not quite so pronounced. At the lower end of the market, however, you could argue that there’s not been a great deal of change in 13 years.

According to the latest data obtained from the Greffe, the median price of the 20 local market flats sold in March 2021 was £277,875, which is less than some months in previous years, going all the way back to 2008.

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We recently saw a flat conveyed at the same price as it was bought for in 2008. There has been less activity at the lower end of the market, which is good news if you’re a first-time buyer looking at that price bracket. Talk of a local market boom can be quite disheartening but the truth is that properties at the more affordable end of the market are still available.

Unofficial figures show a fall in overall sales activity in the first quarter of this year, with sales at their lowest quarterly level for many years. There are a number of possible reasons for this including the fact the courts were closed for all but essential business for a couple of months and estate agents reporting a shortage of properties for sale.

There are, potentially, a lot of new housing developments on the horizon in Guernsey.

Development Frameworks for sites such as the Pointues Rocques development suggest it may be suitable for 75 to 125 dwellings, and the Belgrave project could see anything between 100 and 300 units of accommodation built. New housing inevitably has an impact on the market - if you introduce new properties to the market, buyers have more choice and that means property prices see an adjustment downwards.

The rise in average house prices comes as no surprise and, in fact, is not even a local phenomenon, with property markets in Jersey and across the UK having also experienced a surge in activity and similar increases in prices.

Quite simply, lockdowns have resulted in people reassessing their housing needs and wants. But prices at the first-time buyer end of the market haven’t changed much, or at all, so they still remain attainable for those looking to get their foot on the ladder. As the impact of lockdown on the economy unfolds and restrictions lift, it’s going to be an interesting year for the local market. But it’s always worth reading between the lines before taking the headlines at face value.

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

Added protection Collas Crill’s head of property, Paul Nettleship, looks at the role of collateral warranties and what to consider when requesting one from a contractor.

A collateral warranty is a contract which gives rights to a third party in respect of an existing contract entered into by two separate parties, e.g. the purchaser of a building and/ or a tenant, neither of whom was a party to the construction contract. They are issued in a standard form and rarely specifically drafted.

The effect is that parties who have an interest in the building can sue the designers and/or contractors (the construction team) for defects in the building arising out of their negligence even though there is no contract with them.

WHEN LOOKING AT COLLATERAL WARRANTIES, A FUNDING INSTITUTION’S PRIMARY MOTIVE WILL BE TO OBTAIN AS MUCH PROTECTION IN RELATION TO THE MONEY THAT THEY ARE LENDING OVER AND ABOVE ANY OTHER SECURITY TAKEN OVER THE PROPERTY.

In the institutional market, third parties now expect warranties to be granted in their favour so it is important for a developer to have the ability to procure warranties in favour of these parties. That ability needs to be written into the original appointments by the landowner.

Who are warranties needed from?

As a general rule, warranties are required from the main contractor (whether or not they have any design responsibility) and all parties who have a design input into the work.

It is only possible for the construction team to insure against negligent design and not negligent works. There is little point therefore in obtaining warranties from subcontractors who have no design responsibility and who can often be of little net worth. In addition, main contractors and consultants may take full responsibility for design of their subcontractors or sub consultants, so that additional warranties may not be necessary.

Things to consider Ideally, the following parties should be granted collateral warranties in relation to the works: 1.

2.

3.

a future purchaser of the building; future tenants of the building; and financing parties.

When looking at collateral warranties, a funding institution’s primary motive will be to obtain as much protection in relation to the

money that they are lending over and above any other security taken over the property.

A purchaser of a freehold development will want to be in a position to make claims against those responsible for the design and construction of the development should something that they have done, or not done, cost the purchaser money.

Similarly, tenants of leasehold premises will be looking to protect themselves from a liability to repair the building. In respect of those issues therefore, tenants, purchasers and funders would have an interest in common, seeking to pass as much risk as possible to the parties who have created the development, i.e. the architect, the engineer, the quantity surveyor, the contractor and sometimes any major subcontractors.

Although collateral warranties are generally requested and issued, it is worth bearing in mind that the long-term reliability of such warranties as a means of protecting building owners and occupiers may be subject to some doubt: •

•

•

•

Collateral warranties are only of any value if the party who has given the warranty has the assets to support a claim, or has professional indemnity or another insurance policy to cover the claim.

Professional indemnity policies exist to protect the interests of the insured professional not the building owner.

Claims under most collateral warranties depend upon establishing negligence and such claims are normally strenuously resisted.

Professional indemnity policies are usually annual in nature and renewal depends upon the claims record of the particular consultant or contractor in the previous year, thus there is no guarantee that the policy will always be available in future years. Policies of this nature are also subject to terms, conditions, limitations and excesses which are beyond the control of the developer or his successors.

FEATURE

COVID AND CONSTRUCTION: HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS AFFECTED THE INDUSTRY A great new job, a new country and a wonderful new life in the Channel Islands – it all sounded so perfect …

Then reality hit with a global pandemic, two island lockdowns, no visits from family and a twicepostponed wedding date to contend with. Altogether, it has meant that my first 15 months on the island of Guernsey have been interesting to say the least.

John Bampkin, chief executive of the Norman Piette Group and chair of the Guernsey Construction Forum, reflects on the past year and shares his thoughts on how the island can support the industry going forward.

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A second lockdown within 12 months swept through the Bailiwick at the end of January and lasted for eight weeks, having another huge impact on the construction industry and affecting most areas of island life.

Construction is such a massive part of all of our lives and whenever its progress is impaired, we all

see and feel the benefits it usually brings. The importance of our infrastructure for connectivity and the buildings that we live, work, study and spend leisure time in is vital to everyone’s health and wellbeing. Having shelter is a basic human need along with food, water and relationships and all of these are affected by the environments we live and move around in.

People underestimate the impact that indoor surroundings have on their health, wellbeing and actual mood. The temperature, acoustics, moisture content, lighting and ergonomics are constantly assisting us or hindering us depending on the quality of the build environment.

We have clearly come a long way from our early caves and mud huts, but I believe we still have a long way to go before we can

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all say that our indoor ambience is adding to our quality of life.

As the largest supplier of materials to the industry this really hindered everybody’s ability to return to work in stage 1 and also into stage 2, albeit to a lesser degree when we had approximately 30 people working at any one time.

We had to work up to three shifts a day from 6.30am until 11pm at night on some occasions to try to keep the deliveries going and the quay clear of building materials coming into the islands.

Whenever we talk about the construction industry, we always talk about the impact to the economy.

While that impact is clearly very important, the industry has a much bigger footprint than that. When the maintenance of our roads, drainage, sewage, air and sea ports is affected and new buildings that we desperately need are delayed, it hits the health and prosperity of the island in so other many ways.

The feedback from other parts of the industry was similar and based on the same concerns of lockdowns becoming something we may have to live with.

We cannot, and must not, underestimate the importance of having a fully functioning, effective and efficient construction industry available to the Bailiwick at all times.

This was partially achieved during lockdown with many ‘emergency works’ still allowed to continue but the restrictions on the number of people working in any one environment, even outdoor ones, was debilitating for a quick recovery.

If we take the situation with the industry apprentices at the College of Further Education, they have two main aspects to their learning – practical and theoretical. Clearly during a full lockdown the practical side of their curriculum will be impaired but the theoretical side can continue remotely with the right connectivity. Fast internet speeds are required now and have to be a priority for the island’s immediate future. This will help to get these vital people through their training and into our industry in time to support the States’ new infrastructure and building plans.

If short, sharp lockdowns are to become something that we may have to live with then we have to find ways to keep the main wheels of the industry turning, albeit while complying with safe operational requirements and not perpetuating the spread of any viruses. We have to try to avoid everything grinding to a full stop every time there is a breakout.

For example, at our Norman Piette premises at Bulwer Avenue we have a 4.7 acre site with nine separate warehouses on it. In any other part of Guernsey this would constitute an industrial estate sized set-up with many different businesses present. Yet strictly abiding by the rules of stage 1 we were only allowed eight people on site plus seven delivery drivers to service the massive demand of the industry as it began to awaken from its four weeks of inactivity.

Our premises would normally have approximately 100 people working there on any given day.

AS THE BORDER OPENS TO FREE MOVEMENT ON 1 JULY 2021, GUERNSEY WILL BECOME ATTRACTIVE FOR IMMIGRANT LABOUR ONCE AGAIN.

Having a captive audience, with many apprentices unable to attend work in the early stages of lockdown, presented an opportunity for the theoretical elements of their education to be taught during this period. Thankfully as we entered stage 2, apprentices were able to return to the College of Further Education on 8 March. After this date, apprentices and our lecturers had uninterrupted access to the practical environments which has meant that progress is in line with expectations, and the lockdown should not have an impact on the timely completion of the apprentice’s qualifications.

Our main building contractors on Guernsey welcomed the clarity from the States regarding open borders from 1 July. Since March 2020, Guernsey’s labour pool has been finite and they suddenly lost the flexibility to bring in specialist resources. In addition, after the first lockdown the industry quickly became very busy. This would normally have resulted in increased resources being attracted to the island - in other words, the demand would have been met by increased supply.

That didn’t happen due to border restrictions, consequently the local industry has been working close to full capacity ever since.

As the border opens to free movement on 1 July 2021, Guernsey will become attractive for immigrant labour once again.

To enable us to keep this at the right levels and employ as much local labour as possible we need the apprenticeship programs to continue and actually increase and we need to have input with the States into when the major infrastructure projects start and end so we can best utilise the local workforce & skills available.

All of this needs to be and can be done safely with the required social distancing measures observed – we just need to work together to make that happen.

This is why the Guernsey Construction Forum was formed at the end of 2020 and will now hopefully work closely with the States to learn from our experiences and make sure we are fit for purpose, can provide the island with the skilled resources it needs to help the people of the Bailiwick and the industry recover and grow.

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FEATURE

THE CAR PARK The two houses just off St Julian’s Avenue in St Peter Port had stood derelict for decades, with various plans to rebuild deemed unviable for the tricky site. Finally, with the structures becoming very unsafe for such a busy location, plans were approved to use the space as a carpark.

But demolishing the old buildings was no easy feat.

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The two buildings on the Lower Canichers in St Peter Port had stood decaying for decades.

Architect Andrew Male has been involved with the site for 25 years, but it’s believed the buildings had been derelict for more than four decades. Sitting on a busy Town thoroughfare, it became clear that the unsafe structures needed to be demolished.

The team at Lovell Ozanne had prepared various schemes for their client but, as Andrew explained, nothing made financial sense: “Our client had been granted approval for schemes in the past, but they

never ended up being financially viable. The size of the site and the difficulties with access, as well as the requirement to allow the archaeologists time to investigate the area, meant that they didn’t merit the required investment.”

Eventually, with action necessary, the best option emerged – knocking down the buildings and creating a seven space carpark in their place to serve nearby offices.

It wasn’t a complicated scheme in itself, but it soon became clear that demolishing the existing structures wasn’t going to be straightforward.

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Contractor RG Falla Ltd was faced with a number of issues when it looked at how to approach the site. Commercial director, Mike Wagstaff, explained the difficulties: “This was a very challenging project for us to take on, especially with regard to the health and safety of our employees and the public.

The buildings were at serious risk of collapse – the floors had fallen in and they were generally unsafe for us to enter, which made it very difficult for us to assess them.

“We were also expecting to find asbestos which would need to be dealt with, but we couldn’t survey or remove it in advance which would be our normal approach.

Altogether, I would say that, at the beginning, we were a little scared of the project as we tried to work out how we could go about progressing it safely.”

While RG Falla had initially planned to use a local demolition contractor, the multiple challenges of the site meant that they decided to bring in a specialist UK operator, RM Penny, to help plan and execute how to

bring the buildings down safely. For Mike and his team, that was the safest and most sensible option: “We have worked with RM Penny many times before so we knew that we could trust their approach.

It was certainly the right decision as they said that during their 60 years’ of demolition projects in the UK, this was the worst one they had ever seen. They were quite clear that we would need to brace the back of the buildings.

As you take the floors and walls out, or put any weight on them, the buildings will push out both ways, and they were quite big buildings at the back, three or four storeys.

WHEN THE ROAD WAS CLOSED IT ACTUALLY SEEMED TO WORK QUITE WELL, AND THE FEEDBACK WE HAD WAS THAT PEOPLE WERE HAPPY WITH THE TRAFFIC FLOW, SO WE WERE GLAD THAT DIDN’T CAUSE AN ISSUE.

“When we started the demolition, that was certainly the scariest part of the job. We braced the back, took the roof off and then punched holes through the remaining floors so that the debris could be dropped through into the basement rather than weighing down the floors and pushing the building out further. The debris had to be sprayed constantly to mitigate the dust, especially because of the pigeon infestation.

“Actually, once we had started, the planning all paid off and it went very smoothly. Once it started to come down, it obviously gets easier as you get lower down, so by that stage we knew it would be fine.”

To allow access to the site, which fronts on to a busy thoroughfare through to St Julian’s Avenue, the road was closed for the duration of the project. But Mike said even that didn’t appear to cause difficulties: “When the road was closed it actually seemed to work quite well, and the feedback we had was that people were happy with the traffic flow, so we were glad that didn’t cause an issue.

Most people were just interested in what we were doing.”

With many neighbouring buildings close by, including The Swan public house and the HSBC headquarters, the RG Falla team didn’t have a lot of space to work in. The solution was using MEWPS (mobile elevated working platforms) to access the front of the site, while the rear wall was removed from a scaffold platform. Working

Before

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FEATURE

with the engineers, Dorey, Lyle and Ashman, temporary works were implemented including the retention of buttress walls adjacent to The Swan.

Once the buildings were razed to the ground, their replacement was erected – a concrete slab suspended at the back on steels, and seven parking spaces with a turntable and two double charging points. In addition, a replica wall was erected at the front with a roller shutter. RG Falla also worked on the gables of the adjoining properties.

For Andrew, simplicity was key to its success: “One of the problems with other schemes had been their level of complication. The site is difficult to access and needed the road to be closed during work, so any planned building had to be as quick and easy as possible. We

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just put a lightweight concrete structure in as a deck, propped up from below to allow access to the archaeological site.”

Altogether, the project took around a year – with Covid delays and the required archaeological access adding to the timescale.

As for the final product, Andrew believes they have produced something of merit, if not of architectural significance: “From a design point of view, we were looking for a fairly easy, noncontroversial solution. When we spoke to the Planning Department about the elevation, they were clear that they didn’t want a view of the carpark from the road. So, we really copied what was there before. But we’ve got rid of an eyesore and tidied up St Peter Port, which is certainly a positive outcome.”

CONTRACTORS Architect Lovell Ozanne and Partners Ltd Structural engineer Dorey Lyle and Ashman Quantity surveyor Deacon and Jones Main contractor RG Falla Ltd Demolition contractor RM Penny

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DIGGING UP THE PAST When the plans for the site were progressing, there was an additional element to factor in – the potential archaeological importance of the area. The previous States of Guernsey archaeologist, Heather Sebire, had worked on the site for a period from 2001 but needed to abandon the project a few years later.

The demolition allowed her successor, Phil de Jersey, to access the site and finish her work.

The area was originally of interest due to its proximity to La Plaiderie 50 metres away, where a Roman site was excavated in the 1980s. With very little green space left in that area of Town, the back gardens of the original houses piqued the archaeologist’s interest, as Phil de Jersey explained: “I inherited an interest as my predecessor, Heather, had worked on it in the early 2000s. Over a period of around 18 months, she did as much as she could in the garden of the property.

She didn’t find any Roman material but did find a heap of stones which appeared to be a prehistoric stone cairn.

“Unfortunately, her work ground to a halt simply because she ran out of room to put the spoil. She had filled up the basement of the houses during the excavation, and due to the fact the site was completely hemmed in, she had nowhere else to go. Additionally, to get a better view of the prehistoric site she would need to burrow under the buildings, which wasn’t possible, so the site was abandoned.”

A decade and a half later, the demolition of the buildings allowed Phil to do just that, with the planning conditions allowing him and his team access to the site. They were granted four weeks to dig in the area and uncover anything of interest. While the time unfortunately coincided with a spell of very wet weather, Phil said it was still a productive month.

“Despite the fairly horrendous conditions with the weather and the pigeon infestation, we managed to complete the project to our satisfaction, although we never really fully understood what the prehistoric pile of stones is doing there.

There is certainly some structure to it, but working in such a small area is very difficult and the other prehistory of the site will be gone under the other buildings in the area.”

The team found some good quality prehistoric flint and pottery, which gave them a basic dating – although they didn’t locate any bone or finds of real significance.

The building work on site has been completed in such a way that it could be accessed for further archaeological excavation, but Phil doesn’t think that it would merit more work.

“The surrounding area with the offices and The Swan has been pretty much destroyed in archaeological terms.

There is a bit at the front of the site nearest the road which we haven’t explored, but it certainly wouldn’t be high up our list of investigations. However, it was certainly worth doing the work we did, and it was good to finish a dig that was started so long ago. I think, in a way, it’s nice that we don’t understand it – archaeology is about solving puzzles but we can let this site stay a bit of a mystery.”

THE PIGEON PROBLEM Among the safety issues on the site was the large amount of feral pigeons that had taken up residence in the derelict buildings.

Over the years, their presence had led to a build-up of more than a foot of guano on the floor of the buildings, which is hazardous to human health.

The contractors therefore had to deal with that contamination as well as the physical risks of the decayed structure.

It meant that while as much waste separation was carried out as possible, a large amount of rubble had to go to the tip because it had been contaminated by the guano.

The GSPCA was consulted before any work started, and during the demolition around 200 pigeon chicks were rescued and taken to the animal shelter.

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PLANS TO GROW Guernsey’s Rural Occupational Workshop (GROW) has been helping islanders with disabilities since 1984. Now, it needs the public’s help to do even more – with ambitious plans to grow the charity’s site and expand the services it can offer.

GROW currently provides training and supported employment for up to 30 islanders with learning disabilities from its horticultural site in St Sampson’s. But, almost 40 years on from its founding, the charity and the island have changed. That’s why GROW has developed a comprehensive plan to improve not only its home, but the services it can offer.

GROW’s manager, Eddie Higgins, believes that the time is right for the charity to expand: “While we will always be passionate about horticulture, we have to accept that these days the opportunities are limited for our

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crew members to move on to associated employment within that industry. But nowhere else is offering any skills training for those within the disability community.

“Our plan is to offer enhanced training, not only within horticulture but also hospitality and retail, along with skills such as woodwork, painting, metalwork and arts and crafts. This will hopefully enable our crew members to have skills in a wider range of areas, which will then lead on to the possibility of alternative employment.”

The charity is hoping to eventually cater for between 70 and 100

people, offering training in that range of areas. It’s an ambitious project, which will require a complete overhaul of its current home. Fortunately, full planning permission for the scheme was granted at an open planning meeting at the end of 2020 so it is free to press on with its plans as soon as funding is in place.

Those plans include demolishing two of the current glasshouses, which are in very poor condition and often require the site to be closed for safety reasons during windy or stormy weather.

They would be replaced with a new unit, created with locally

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sourced second-hand glass to reduce the carbon footprint of the new development.

obtaining planning permission for the new facilities. She explained the benefits of the design: “Having one large space allows GROW to provide all the facilities it needs at the moment, but it also futureproofs the building for any changes in requirements. The structure allows the opportunity to change the internal layout by adapting the partitions if needs change. It makes it a very efficient building both in terms of cost and also in footprint area.

For Eddie, that was an important factor in the new plans: “We want to make sure this build project is as environmentally friendly as possible. We are very keen to incorporate renewable energy into the design, and we will have lots of roof space so hopefully we will be able to utilise that. We also want to harvest as much water as possible, so will have two large tanks inside our number one house along with a borehole on site.

“Essentially, the new facilities building takes up the same footprint as the previous greenhouse. So, in fact, the new plans mean that less of the site will be built on than is the case currently, but the space is being used much more effectively.”

“At the same time as being environmentally friendly, we want to reduce our running costs as much as possible so hopefully we can combine the two through harvesting energy on site.”

As well as the replacement greenhouses, a large facilities building will be a focal point for the site. The plan is to create a steel portal frame building, which will be clad to fit in with the horticultural nature of the site.

Architect Emma Carter of Grey Bear Limited has been involved in

WE’VE RECOGNISED THAT THERE IS A NEED IN THE ISLAND FOR A FITNESS FACILITY FOR THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, SO WE’RE HOPING TO OFFER THAT ON SITE.

For Eddie, the expense of the new building will be justified with what it will allow them to develop: “The main cost within the plans is the new facilities building, but it is a key part of what we’re hoping to offer. It will encompass all of the separate buildings that we have on our current site, but also offer a lot more. Our administration will obviously be based there along

with meeting space for our board of directors. There will also be a canteen for our crew members and appropriate sanitary facilities.

“Alongside that, the flexibility of the building will allow us to offer training in a range of ‘life skills’ for our crew members. We’ve recognised that there is a need in the island for a fitness facility for the disability community, so we’re hoping to offer that on site.

But we’re also looking to help our people look after themselves.

“As part of encouraging that, our training rooms will allow our crew members to do everything from learning how to use a microwave to proper hygiene care. And at the same time as growing the produce, we also want to teach them how to prepare and cook it.”

The new building will replace GROW’s current minimal toilet and showering facilities with an appropriate number for the users, as well as lockers to make sure that showering at work is easily accessible for everyone.

There will also be a quiet room to cater for the needs of those with social or medical issues that Guernsey Property and Construction

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require the occasional period of time away from others.

– both in food preparation and front and back of house service.

Outside, there will be a purposebuilt seating and eating area for crew members where they can enjoy their breaks. At the entrance to the site, raised beds will be used to supplement the produce grown under glass.

Meanwhile, at the rear of the grounds, the small packing shed, which currently encompasses the woodwork workshop, will be replaced with a space four times the size to provide new, wellequipped workshops offering training in woodwork, painting, metalwork and arts and crafts.

Altogether, it will offer everything GROW needs. But Eddie is hoping it will also offer something other charities require as well: “It will be a wonderful home for GROW, but we’re also hoping that it will help provide a base for other island disability charities too.

We will have the space and the facilities that they can use and can be a real hub for the island’s charitable services in this area.”

Aside from the facilities building and the greenhouses, there will be two other main areas of development. GROW wants to offer hospitality and retail training, so a new building at the front of the site will allow them to run a café selling the produce grown on site. That will serve as a training centre for crew members to learn hospitality and catering skills

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The only current building which will remain under the plans is greenhouse ‘number four’ at the very rear of the site. It is in better condition than the others, so it is planned to retain that greenhouse and to continue using it for GROW’s produce.

Access to the site and parking is a key part of the proposals.

The new plans will not only enable a much better flow of traffic into and through the facility, but will allow for around 40 parking spaces – including space for disability vehicles and minibuses as well as bicycle parks to encourage cycling.

It’s hoped those changes will make GROW a lot more user friendly and encourage more

GROW was founded by the Guernsey Society for the Mentally Handicapped (now Guernsey Mencap LBG) and officially opened on 14 July 1984.

GROW Limited is registered as a Guernsey charity with a function to provide training and a sheltered work environment in horticulture for people with a learning disability.

The charity is partially funded by the States of Guernsey through a service level agreement with the Committee for Employment and Social Security.

Its other main source of income is from the sale of plants and produce, a garden maintenance service and the refurbishment of garden furniture alongside donations from the public.

GROW’s mission statement: To provide a safe and secure working environment where people with learning and other disabilities can build up their self-respect and confidence levels so as to be able to work and interact within our community.

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members of the public to visit the site as well as its crew members.

For Eddie and his team, getting the public involved and supporting the project is vital to its success.

GROW already has a steady stream of supporters who visit the site to purchase their plants and produce, and it’s hoped the new set-up will encourage more people to not only come to buy, but also to interact with those working there.

Visitors and crew members will also benefit from a major improvement in accessibility at the site. A fundamental flaw of the current set-up is its lack of disabled access and facilities. The new plans aim to right that, with level access throughout the site along with improved disabled parking facilities, toilet facilities and wheelchair access to all areas of the new building.

Emma explained the priorities when it came to the design: “The first thing we looked at from an accessibility point of view was ensuring that the public and the crew members would be able to easily go through the greenhouses in wheelchairs.

Then we considered the facilities and ensured that they were

accessible to current standards.

A lot of these things are very basic from a design perspective such as making sure there is level access everywhere and putting wide doorways and a lift in the administration building. But those changes will make a fundamental difference to some people who would want to use the site.”

As well as benefiting all those who use and visit GROW, the redevelopment wants to help others in the local area by incorporating a formal bus layby within its site.

Under the plans, GROW has allowed some of its land to be used to enable buses to stop safely without blocking the road or risking passenger’s welfare.

Altogether, the project is estimated to cost in the region of £2.5-3 million. If fundraising is successful, the charity is hoping to start work in October this year. Once spades are in the ground, it would relocate its team to another vinery site in the island with the aim of returning home in spring 2023 to a transformed facility.

For more information or to donate to the project, visit www.grow.gg

PLANNING PERMISSION GROW has now received full planning permission for its plans, but it has not been the most straightforward process to get there.

Architect Emma Carter has been involved with the application and explained how they approached the situation: “We had plenty of communication with the Planning Department and lots of pre-application meetings. GROW is such a unique scenario that it didn’t tick any of the standard boxes.

“We have had to demonstrate that this is the right thing to do for the site, and that what we are proposing is an enhancement of what is already there rather than creating something completely new. We also had to prove that the site would retain its identity as GROW, but would be improved and enhanced.”

A Certificate of Lawful Use was applied for on the basis that the site had already expanded further than its horticultural roots through offering woodwork and other skills training. Once that certificate was granted in April 2020 the charity was ready to submit its formal application.

In December 2020 an open meeting of the Development and Planning Authority was held and full permission was granted for GROW’s plans.

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COMMENT

The CIOB and the Channel Islands Throughout the pandemic, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has been keen to stay connected with its local members. Chief executive, Caroline Gumble, updates us on the organisation’s activities and plans.

It’s only a few months since I reluctantly turned down an invitation to join CIOB members in Guernsey for their AGM and Christmas lunch.

Under normal circumstances, I would have been delighted to be with them – but I did send a recorded message to our CIOB community on Guernsey to mark the occasion of 26 years as an active group, of making a real difference to the industry and being an important part of Guernsey’s construction community.

A couple of those achievements really resonated when I heard about them and I’d like to share them with you.

I congratulated Peter Falla, MCIOB, for his lifetime Achievement Award presented at the Guernsey Property and Construction Awards in 2019. The award was for “services to the construction industry” and, I think, goes to show the significance of the contribution that our members make to the wider construction community.

I’VE BEEN SO IMPRESSED BY THE PROFESSIONALISM, COMMITMENT AND EXPERTISE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THE WIDER CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.

I went on to highlight the key role CIOB Hub members played in the creation of the local Construction Industry Forum. This group has enabled dialogue between industry figures, including CIOB members, and the States of Guernsey for around 15 years now. I was particularly pleased when I heard about this work as it mirrors the work of our Policy and Public Affairs Team. It’s heartening when our Hubs are able to be a force for good - and they are so often willing to share their expertise and experience with local and regional policymakers.

Lastly, of the highlights I picked out, I acknowledged the many members that have been active in community and charity projects, for example supporting the Caritas Café which, in turn, does so much to support those living with mental illness, lonely and isolated people, the unemployed and the homeless. It’s another example of CIOB members being an active part of the wider

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community – this last 12 months, more than ever, we’ve seen examples of that. It’s just one of the things that makes me proud to lead this institute.

I know that the activity on Guernsey – and the wider activity our members are a part of, via the Southampton Hub – hasn’t let up since the pandemic began. I applaud all our members – in the Channel Islands and elsewhere – for their resilience during these unprecedented times.

I’ve been so impressed by the professionalism, commitment and expertise of our community and the wider construction industry.

Looking forward now and we have much activity planned for the rest of the year. As a starting point, we are running a series of regional “members welcome” events for existing members and those on the membership track. These are running from May to July, with potentially more to follow.

We want to make sure our members are aware of what’s available to them as part of their CIOB membership and help them get the most out of it.

We are also planning a bit further ahead and hoping – all being well – to run an event or two in Guernsey in October.

If you’d like to find out more about these events or, better still, would like to register an interest, do feel free join our LinkedIn group “CIOB in South UK” or check out the events section of the CIOB website (www.ciob.org).

There are, of course, members who volunteer on CIOB committees and already contribute to our events – and to the wider construction community – so thank you from me to those who are already part of our community. I really value the input and insight from our members and, of course, I’m looking forward to meeting many of you when I’m next able to visit.

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The road to recovery John Bampkin, chair of the Guernsey Construction Forum, updates us on the group’s activities, and its plans to move forward following the recent lockdown.

It has been a challenging time for the Guernsey Construction Forum (GCF) and its members as we navigated our way through the second lockdown in 12 months. Along with most other industries, the short, sharp introduction of restrictions severely hampered any kind of activity in the industry aside from a few ‘emergency works’ contracts that were vital to the Bailiwick.

This presented the challenge of staying in touch with the other committee members in a remote manner and working closely with the States to understand, and communicate, the rules and guidelines of the different lockdown release stages as we moved through them.

In the early days, some members of the GCF and the GBTEA were engaged in numerous conversations regarding the planned tighter parameters of the salary subsidy schemes that the States would provide this time round.

HAVING SIGHT AND INPUT INTO WHAT AND WHERE THE STATES BUILDS NEXT ALLOWS US TO PLAN OUR RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH THIS VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORK.

I am very pleased to say that the Deputies who we engaged with were very open to some honest debate and listened to our major concerns, which were mostly centred on the smaller oneperson contractors that we represent. After much discussion, changes were made to increase the generosity of the scheme to ensure that those that needed the support most would get it in a timely fashion. Fantastic collaboration all round!

However, the strain on our labour force and its available skills has been the limiting factor in how quickly this work has been undertaken.

Once again, this is another overwhelming reason for us to be involved in the future planning for the islands. Having sight and input into what and where the States builds next allows us to plan our recruitment and training strategies to cope with this vital infrastructure work.

We have also been working with all of our members regarding some welcome improvements to the health and safety side of our business.

This involves a new code of practice that calls for a dedicated health and safety coordinator on every building site to ensure that everyone goes home safely to their families at the end of every day. This is extremely important if we are to continue to improve the working conditions and reduce the risks for the people who work in construction. We will continue to push for a safer and more professional construction industry.

The committee has recently met to agree these next stages and to prioritise our approach.

We want to ensure that the best interests of the industry are taken into consideration in conjunction with the needs of the Bailiwick for a sustainable and urgent recovery.

The immediate plans for the Guernsey Construction Forum are to try to pick up where we left off after a very successful initial launch early this year to many members of the various States departments involved with the construction industry. We need to be involved with the planning of the infrastructure pipeline to ensure that we can all act accordingly.

The industry has been very busy since spring 2020 due to the pent up and increased demand for repairs, maintenance and new build projects.

Islanders’ holiday funds are being invested into property improvements and this has been very welcome to help us try to fill some of the financial gaps caused by the lockdown periods.

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COMMENT

THE JUDGE’S VIEW As the Guernsey Property and Construction Awards launch for this year, it seems timely to consider some general lessons regarding what judges look for. Scott Crittell of the Association for Project Management (APM) is a judge for that body’s annual awards. He shares what he considers necessary for a successful entry submission.

For the past three years, I have judged the project management awards for the APM as one of a number of judges scattered across the globe who are either qualified as Chartered or Fellows of the APM, which is the requirement to be invited to become a judge.

I HAVE, AS A JUDGE, CONSEQUENTLY SEEN WHAT MAKES AN ENTRY SUBMISSION STAND OUT. IT IS CLEAR THAT EVERY ENTRY REQUIRES TIME AND EFFORT FOR THE ENTRANT TO PRODUCE AND SO MAKING THAT TIME SPENT SUCCESSFUL NEEDS PLANNING.

The judging process involves a review of written submissions with scoring against defined categories and comments required. This enables a shortlist to be developed who would then present to a panel of judges face to face or, now, over Zoom. The judges would question and then individually re-score the entries to identify a final winner. Categories are set at a business, charity and individual level and so encompass a wide spectrum including specialised subjects such as the Engineering, Construction and Infrastructure Project of the Year Award.

The winners are then announced at an event in London (although again, latterly online) and winners vary hugely. Previously, a clean water project in Bangladesh, the safe dismantling of the Sellafield nuclear site, and a system to counter drone interruptions at Heathrow have all been winners. Entry is available to any project and the 2021 APM Awards are presently open for submission until 21 June.

I have, as a judge, consequently seen what makes an entry submission stand out. It is clear that every entry requires time and effort for the entrant to produce and so making that time spent successful needs planning. Start by mapping out your submission to ensure that it flows and incorporates all the points that the entry literature requires or highlights. Don’t see your entry dismissed on a technicality of not following entry protocol or entering the wrong category. I have seen great projects overlooked as they were obviously better suited to another category.

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Consider the ‘Iron Triangle’ that consists of time (did you delivery on time, if not, why not), cost, quality (this will translate into the project benefits) and the scope of your project. This will allow you to sketch a framework that you can start to infill with layers of additional information. Even if eventually your entry has a set submission format, by laying it out along this approach, you will be able to discern the sections that fit the defined layout better to create a flow for your entry.

I shall state here and now that presentation is important and don’t be frightened to use bulletpoints to itemise the points you want to clearly standout. Also, use justify in Word or its equivalent to distribute your text evenly on the page and allow spacing between sentences.

You may want to think about the following inclusions within your entry to appeal to the judge. Appeal is subjective to each judge but I always looked for resilience or what went wrong and how was it overcome (all projects have problems, don’t hide them, use them as positive illustrations of your ingenuity to resolve them). Make sure you give examples throughout to form pictures for the judge, explain how the project upskilled those involved for future personal or business benefit, consider whether you allowed for sustainability or environmental factors sympathetically. Lastly, did you proactively approach lessons learned throughout the project and not as a final exercise, therefore leading to improvements for your future projects.

The use of visuals, such as photographs, diagrams or charts, may add context but should never be considered a replacement for explanation as the latter allows your passion to be made clear to the judge. It is selling your project that will convince a judge, including this judge, to vote for you.

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

Making health and safety a priority Andrew Mills, chair of the Guernsey Occupational Safety and Health Association (GOSHA), explains the importance of rigorous health and safety practices throughout the construction sector.

The Guernsey construction and property sectors are brilliant examples of how to get things done, how to overcome challenges and how to work in challenging environments.

Well, many companies in the sector are good examples, working well and proactively with employees and third parties to get jobs done to plan, safely and well.

However, some have a tendency to ignore good practice and some employees fail to see the potential implications of cutting corners, not wearing protective equipment, or how an accident or illness could impair life or cut it short – unnecessarily.

An accident or illness caused by workplace activities can be very damaging. It can cause: • loss of income; • loss of a good employee; • loss of family life and all the activities undertaken by the employee when fit; • loss of a good reputation for the employer; • increased diversion from day to day activities including the need for management time to be committed; and • lost income for the employer and additional costs for the job in hand and in replacing the employee who has been injured.

Here’s an example from Jersey: a construction company has recently been fined £25,000 by the Royal Court for failing to supervise its employees properly, after two of its workers fell 1.5m onto a concrete floor during a job.

The list can be longer, of course, but highlights that a serious accident or illness caused by workplace activities can be very expensive and damaging for the employer, employee and our wider society.

These accidents are avoidable. A couple of years ago we heard from an Englishman (Jason Anker – see www.jasonankerlive.com) who fell from a similar height and is now paralysed. As a result of that injury, he has had massive family and mental health challenges to overcome as well as the physical loss of mobility for the rest of his life, all because of a simple fall from an unsecured ladder. We were very pleased that the Channel Islands’ largest building contractor took the opportunity to have him speak to their workforce. Hearing the story of someone who has badly hurt, seeing them and having the chance to ask them questions can make such a difference to people who are undertaking roles where they can become complacent to daily repetitive tasks – until they go wrong.

Doing things well makes a business more effective, more efficient and attracts good employees to it.

In the construction and property industries, things going wrong can be so damaging to life and people’s wellbeing. Additionally, the financial consequences can be significant – for both the employee and the employer, not to mention the consumption of otherwise productive time in investigation, enquiry, liaison with public authorities and sometimes in attending court proceedings.

In a potentially dangerous environment, protecting employees is not an option. It is a requirement and, thankfully, our robust Guernsey Health and Safety laws are there to ensure that people (employers and employees) know what to do and spell out the consequences if good practices are ignored.

From slips, trips and falls to skin disease and cancers caused by substances harmful to health to the consequences of breathing asbestos fibres and a myriad of other hazards, health and safety management must be a priority for all who work in the property and construction sector.

Serious accidents or illness can be catastrophic. Don’t let it happen to you. A serious workplace accident or illness can put you out of business and it can wreck lives.

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FEATURE

“I WOULDN’T SAY NO TO CONSTRUCTION” When a Guernsey Building Trades Employers Association (GBTEA) member’s son was asked, ‘Why would you want to go into construction?’, the organisation decided it was time to change the public’s perception of the industry. Its response was to commission a short film highlighting the appeal of construction as a career - through the words and experiences of the young people already pursuing it.

Produced by local filmmaker James Harrison and entitled “I wouldn’t say no to construction”, the film manages to fit a lot into its sixminute length. From interviews with a wide range of young trainees to spectacular shots of the sites they are involved with, it’s a compelling advertisement for an industry whose opportunities can be forgotten by careers advisors.

The GBTEA investigated the advice given to students about careers in construction and decided that its diverse opportunities were not being fully explained. The film is its attempt to rectify that.

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FOR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN, THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO BE TRAINING AND WORKING – WHETHER THEY WANT TO BE ON SITE OR IN AN OFFICE.”

From apprentice tradesmen to an architectural technologist, those featured in the film are all young and thriving in their chosen roles. For the GBTEA, it was important that a wide range of young people were represented so that the audience heard from those they could relate to rather than more established members of the industry.

GBTEA president, Paul Mason, believes it’s the ideal time to promote construction as a career: “As a sector, we are very busy at the moment, and when there is a huge amount of demand it is

often filled by contractors from outside the island. We should be strengthening our local pool of talent so that we can fill those roles and keep the benefits within the island’s economy.

“The schools have traditionally promoted A Levels and the finance sector as the default options, but we want young people to recognise that there are very worthwhile and varied careers in construction. For young men and women, there are so many opportunities to be training and working – whether they want to be on site or in an office.”

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The film portrays those options through its subjects, who range from apprentice electricians, carpenters and plumbers to a site manager and a female chartered architectural technologist. The common theme is that they have all completed their training on-island, and they are all passionate about their jobs. They are also young, to ensure their audience can relate to them.

For Paul, that was particularly important: “We didn’t want 50-yearold men telling students how great the construction industry is, we wanted them to hear it from other young people – from those who know what it’s like to be an apprentice or trainee now. That way, they can speak about how much they have enjoyed it and why they would recommend it as a career, and it will be more convincing for their peers.”

For filmmaker James Harrison, the project was a satisfying, if challenging, one: “Logistically, it was a huge challenge producing

this film. It was shot over winter and we had one of the wettest and windiest seasons on record.

Trying to shoot outside on building sites around the participants’ everchanging schedules was certainly tricky. Then, as soon as the weather improved, we went into lockdown.”

Despite the issues faced during filming, the end result reflects exactly what the GBTEA was aiming for, and they say they are delighted with the finished product.

Now it is complete, the GBTEA hope the film will be used throughout the island’s schools and colleges to highlight the opportunities available, and the Guernsey College of Further Education say they have already seen an upturn in applications for apprenticeships this autumn. The film finishes with a clear message – ‘One industry, endless opportunities’ – and it’s one the GBTEA hopes will now reach the young people it’s aimed at.

Link to the film in full through the GBTEA’s website at www.gbtea.gg

THE CAST Trainee Site Engineer Sammy Archenoul Trowel Trades Jamie Brouard Apprentice Plumber Leon Collenette Chartered Architectural Technologist Antoinette Fooks Apprentice Electrician Louis Mahy Site Manager Blaze Potts Apprentice Electrician Zak Robin Apprentice Carpenter/Joiner Brad Smith Trowel Trades James Strang Images used courtesy of James Harrison and DroneGSY

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FEATURE

PLANNING GIVES GO-AHEAD FOR STYX PLANS Styx Community Centre in St Pierre du Bois is facing an exciting new era, with planning permission granted for change of use for an area of adjoining land. The extra space would allow the centre to expand the services it can offer to the community. Now they are keen for the island to support the project, as they need to raise the funds to purchase the land and complete the planned works.

From Scouts to sewing, and aerial yoga to toddler groups, Styx Community Centre already offers a wide range of activities.

But with their focus firmly on community services, they are hoping to offer even more through a new expansion project.

The centre is aiming to acquire an area of land adjoining the current site, which would enable them to further develop their community services – and with change of use now allowed for that field, they are a step closer to achieving their ambition.

The Planning Department has recently granted permission for change of use for an area of land adjoining the centre – from agricultural land (use class 28) to community use (sui generis),

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including the installation of play equipment, creation of new vehicular access and parking areas, the closure of existing vehicular access and associated works.

The centre does not presently own the field, but with planning permission now granted they will look to raise the funds to purchase the land. If all goes well, they hope to start work later this year.

Sue Noyon is a director at the Styx Community Centre. She explained that they had been in discussion with the Planning Department for around a year to ensure that all of the requirements to respect the character of the open land were met.

“With around 2,000 users visiting the centre each week, traffic

ISSUE 6 SUMMER 2021

and pedestrian safety became a real issue for us and with the support of the Traffic and Highways Committee, we’ve formulated a really beneficial solution for the centre, the parish and our users,” she said.

The centre’s manager, Anne Thomas, added: “It’s a hugely exciting project which will enable us to further expand our current offering, where people of all ages and abilities within the island community can take part in multiple activities and gain wide ranging skills, alongside benefiting from simply having a social connection.”

The centre already offers a wide variety of activities through its community and wellness

programme including signposting for social prescribing. The added green space will enable initiatives such as gardening for health to be developed.

Provision of a petanque area, quiet seating and improved new playground equipment will also all add to enhancing the parish and community facilities.

The detail, along with the landscaping design, will be subject to prior agreement with Planning Services.

IT’S A HUGELY EXCITING PROJECT WHICH WILL ENABLE US TO FURTHER EXPAND OUR CURRENT OFFERING

Sue added: “Our focus now turns towards a big push for fundraising, both for the land purchase and then the development and supply.

The management committee

would welcome any approaches from corporates, individuals or funding bodies who would be interested in supporting our project and the community work that we do at the centre.”

They are planning to hold a series of engagement workshops with stakeholders and interested parties to discuss potential activities, as any new services will be led by demand from the community.

For further information about Styx Community Centre and the plans for the site, visit their website at styxcentre.gg. Anyone wishing to contact the centre directly can do so on styxcentre@cwgsy.net

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FEATURE

FINISHING TOUCHES With holidays still off the agenda for most, look overseas for some inspiration at home. Summer brights and global influences can almost make you feel like you’ve got away.

Elephant cushions Marks & Spencer £12.50

Set of two Lois chairs Marks & Spencer £199

Gallery weathered mirror Very.co.uk £250

Trestle round dining table John Lewis & Partners £499

Coconut bistro set Next £150

Flamingo table lamp Very.co.uk £60

Sitting buddha ornament Very.co.uk £22.99

Greenhouse leopard and mustard cushions

Global explorer bamboo coffee table

Matalan £12

Amara £220

A TASTE OF THE EXOTIC Add some interest to your table this summer.

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Shatterproof flamingo jug

Elephant planter

Next £12

Very.co.uk £24.99

Guernsey Property and Construction

Elephant tray Marks & Spencer £15

Fusion metallic textured bowl John Lewis & Partners £9

WHO IS YOUR

?

O R E H SUPER The 8th Guernsey Property & Construction Awards will be taking place in November - who do you think deserves to be a winner?

Do you know a rising star, a well-deserving construction worker or a gardener you can’t do without?

Then nominate them NOW! It takes just two minutes at: www.guernseyconstructionawards.com

THE CATEGORIES ARE: • Rising star • • • • • • •

Engineering project of the year Construction professional of the year Industry supplier of the year Property professional of the year Landscaping project of the year Best construction project under £300k Best construction project over £300k

Nominations close on Friday 27 August

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