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Guernsey Property and Construction Awards
Local equipment supplier sold to UK firm
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.
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GAP will add CAMS Hire to 4Group, the Jersey-based operation it purchased in 2018, creating a pan-Channel Islands equipment 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.
“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
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 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.
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
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, which will culminate in a recommendation for a way forward, including requirements for further site investigation works.
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.
Havelet infrastructure works in progress
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 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.
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.
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 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.”
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.
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 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.”
