Guernsey Property and Construction - Spring 2022 - Issue 9

Spring 2022

Issue 9

G UERNS EY

PROP E R T Y A ND CONSTRU C TIO N Admiral Park Plaza Overcoming all challenges, the new development opens for business

Awards and achievements Celebrating the recent successes of those in the industry

Money matters From when to remortgage to cutting through the jargon, experts offer their advice

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INTRODUCTION

EDITOR Tamara Timothy

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

EDITOR’S LETTER

editor@gpcmagazine.com

SALES Matt Collas matt@rockandsmall.com

Hollie Martorella hollie@rockandsmall.com

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Guernsey Property and Construction is produced by Rock and Small Limited.

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W

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

It’s a season that is always welcomed by the island, and the industry, as we emerge from the challenges of winter on our small rock. This year, there has been more than the weather to battle with – while the island may not have been in lockdown, the impact of Covid-19 is certainly still being felt in the sector with shortages and price rises among its effects.

was recognised when he was given a lifetime achievement award. We find out about his career and his family history in the industry on page 20.

Among the projects rewarded on the night was the stunning new development at the former Strawberry Farm, which won best project over £300,000, and DLM Architects’ project ‘The Pool House’, which was named best project under £300,000. It combined stunning design with cunning engineering to produce something very special – read about it on page 28.

Despite those challenges, it’s been a time for many in the industry to thrive. The property sales sector is still very strong and the building industry equally as busy.

Those achievements were recognised at the recent Guernsey Property and Construction Awards, which were held at St Pierre Park in February following their postponement from November.

Elsewhere, good design in Guernsey is also being recognised at the biannual Guernsey Design Awards, which take place in 2022. The shortlist has recently been announced, showcasing the very best in local architecture – find out who’s nominated and how to cast your vote for your favourite on page 48.

You can find a full rundown of the event and this year’s finalists from page 16, while elsewhere in the magazine we find out more about some of the winners.

With such a wealth of talent in the island, we’re delighted to be able to celebrate the industry’s achievements and hope you enjoy learning more about them in these pages.

While most of the trophy holders attended the event knowing they had a chance of coming home with a prize – the call to the stage came as a complete surprise to one man. Brian Singleton has been a stalwart of the GBTEA and the industry for decades and that dedication

Tamara Timothy Editor

Guernsey Property and Construction

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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:

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CONTENTS

ISSUE 9 04 Admiral Park Plaza With Premier Inn opening its doors and tenants moving into the office building, we find out how the project fared during the past two tumultuous years

14 Open for business

04

As the long-term impacts of Covid restrictions start to be felt, we speak to those in the industry about how it’s affecting the demand for office space

16 Guernsey Property and Construction Awards All the finalists and winners from the recent awards ceremony

20 Brian Singleton The long-standing secretary of the GBTEA was recently honoured with a ‘lifetime achievement’ award, find out about his career and family history in the industry

24 Industry news From promotions to planning permissions, we round up all the news across the island

28 The Pool House

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28

A recent award winner, this small project was big on challenges – we speak to those involved

32 Jon Sheppard A relative newcomer to the industry, estate agency Sheppards was another winner at the recent awards so we meet founder, Jon Sheppard

36 St James’ Place As Guernsey’s newest office building rises up, we find out how the build is progressing

39 Mortgages and finance Money talks and so do our experts. Read their advice on how to make the most of your assets

42 Industry profile Mortgage associate Nathan Machan shares his career path and his enjoyment of his role

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48 Guernsey Design Awards The shortlisted projects for this year’s Guernsey Design Awards showcase the talent in the industry

50 Ebenezer Church As the local landmark finally gets restored, we find out about this challenging project

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FEATURE

ADMIRAL PARK PLAZA One of the largest developments in recent years in Guernsey, the current phase of the £35million Admiral Park project has completed on site. With the Premier Inn opening its doors to guests and tenants moving into the office space, the site is seeing a new lease of life.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022 While the project has certainly come to a successful conclusion, like many in these turbulent times, it’s faced its fair share of challenges. Despite Covid posing a host of difficulties for the team involved, they all say they’re delighted with the end result.

For Steve Marie, managing director of developer Comprop, it’s been an impressive performance from everyone: “We’ve finished slightly offprogramme but when you consider that we have been through two lockdowns as well as all the Covid restrictions and challenges, I think what the team has achieved has been phenomenal. Our project team, Jason Powers Consultants, and the main contractor, Rihoy’s, have done a brilliant job and we are delighted with the quality of what they have produced.

“I would genuinely say that out of all of the projects that we have done in the islands, this has been one of the very best team-wise. Everybody has been so pro-active and the way they pulled together to mitigate the effects of Covid has been very impressive.”

Rihoy & Son has been the main contractor on the project. The team has done its utmost to keep the build on track despite the challenges facing the industry – obtaining warehouse space and forward ordering to ensure that supply chain delays didn’t affect their timescales.

But managing director, Gavin Rihoy, said the pandemic still caused serious issues: “We progressed very well with the project during the summer and into the autumn last year. Then when Omicron came along that did create some complications at the 11th hour.

But we’ve had very understanding clients and tenants throughout the process and we’re delighted to hand the site over to them.”

While the project may have seemed lengthy to Rihoy’s, for architect Andy Merrett of Lovell Ozanne, it’s been one he’s lived with for a long time. He has been involved with the Admiral Park development from the very beginning, and has been looking at this area of the site since 2011. But getting a scheme that worked had its challenges: “We went through a series of iterations with the developers and planners before we settled on something that made sense for

everyone. It’s very common for these large scale projects to take a decade to come to fruition, but it’s fantastic to see it at this stage.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved, and it will certainly be taking its place in my portfolio. The finished product is fairly close to what I originally envisioned, which is not always the case with these large projects. What we have achieved is great commercial architecture within the context of what the conditions of the site allowed, what the planning conditions allowed, and what the budget allowed. It’s of its time and I’ll be very interested to see how it ages and stands the test of time, not only in terms of material but also its design.”

For Andy, the quality of the design is key to creating the right environment at the development, and there will now be plenty of people to enjoy it. With Premier Inn having opened its doors and the main tenant ensconced in the office building, Admiral Park Plaza will soon have hotel guests and office workers replacing the construction teams that have been in residence for the past couple of years. But as they settle in, there is the opportunity for others to join them, as Steve explained: “The ground floor is still vacant, although we have interest in that so I am expecting it to be tenanted soon. But I think once the landscaping has taken root and the outside area is being used properly, it will be a really vibrant welcoming space for everyone.”

I WOULD GENUINELY SAY THAT OUT OF ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE ISLANDS, THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE VERY BEST TEAM-WISE. EVERYBODY HAS BEEN SO PRO-ACTIVE AND THE WAY THEY PULLED TOGETHER TO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF COVID HAS BEEN VERY IMPRESSIVE.

FEATURE

ON THE MENU While the Premier Inn has an on-site restaurant for guests, one of the attractions of the new Admiral Park development was the additional dining options it would offer to those in the area. On the roadside of the site, the new café/ restaurant is a substantial space, with 70 covers available inside.

Well-known local restaurateur Steve Hopkins (of Fat Rascal fame) has been announced as the tenant for the site, with his new offering, ‘Good Rebel’, due to open in the summer.

For Steve Marie, it’s good news for the area: “We’re delighted to have found a tenant to finish off this part of the site, and the café is now our focus as the next part of the project

Inspiring Architecture “People are at the heart of what we do and our client’s brief is always central to our thinking.”

Lovell Ozanne are proud to have designed Admiral

vision for the Admiral Park. This landmark site has been

Park Plaza alongside Comprop CI and look forward to

developed over the past 20 years to become an hub

works beginning on Phase 2 to complete our overall

for international finance, retail and hospitality.

To book your free consultation please call 01481 235397 or email hello@lovellozanne.com Residential | Commercial | Hotel | Education | Bespoke Homes

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to complete. We’ve therefore extended our contract with Rihoy’s so that they can finish the building and it’s due for completion in early June.”

Now that Rihoy’s has received the instruction to go ahead, they are back on-site to meet that deadline. But Gavin doesn’t have too many concerns about the project: “The fit-out of the freestanding restaurant is a fairly straightforward job.

Being a catering facility there is obviously a certain amount of mechanical and engineering work that will be involved, but the fit-out itself is not complex. We’re delighted to be completing it – both as a firm but also for the Guernsey public who will have another exciting location to enjoy socialising and eating.”

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

WHAT NEXT FOR THE SITE? It had been hoped to start phase two of this part of the Admiral Park development as soon as phase one was finished. Architect Andy Merrett also designed the second office building planned for the site, which received planning permission last year.

While work did start on the foundations, it was halted when the proposed anchor tenant withdrew from the project.

But Steve Marie is hopeful that it will recommence soon: “We’re having positive discussions with a number of prospective tenants so I think we will shortly be at the right time to reactivate on-site.

We’re in a very good position there as we now have the majority of the foundations in the ground so it’s ready to pick up again as soon as we can.”

Having successfully completed phase one, the Rihoy’s team is on standby for phase two, and Gavin says they’re very keen to get going: “The first thing we’ll do is recommence putting the foundations in, which was where we left the site last year. It’s all designed and ready to go, so when it happens, it will be an exciting project for us.

“There will be certain logistical challenges with phase two as we won’t have ‘spare’ areas of the site let to use as laydowns, but we will have had the time to plan the project out properly so we’ll ensure there are no programming issues.”

WE’RE HAVING POSITIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH A NUMBER OF PROSPECTIVE TENANTS SO I THINK WE WILL SHORTLY BE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO REACTIVATE ON-SITE.

C8 IS HELPING BUILD GUERNSEY’S FUTURE We are proud to help shape our island’s future, working on some of Guernsey’s most complex and prestigious projects, including the design and installation of M&E services at Admiral Park.

WEAREC8.COM

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PREMIER INN Guernsey’s first Premier Inn hotel has recently opened its doors to guests, but due to Covid travel restrictions, the company’s physical access to the site was very limited during major periods of the build process. While Premier Inn had very specific demands as to how the hotel should be built and fitted out, much of its monitoring of the work had to be done remotely – depending on the on-island team to ensure that standards were met.

Simon Lancaster is the head of construction (London and South) for Whitbread and had responsibility for the Admiral Park project.

When he first planned the Guernsey build, he expected to be visiting regularly to inspect the work and monitor the site.

Instead, the onset of Covid meant the usual way of working was upended, and he needed to rely on virtual meetings as well as very close communication with the on-island team. Luckily, he had every confidence in them: “It was a little tricky at the start, but because of the willingness of the team to make it work it ended up being very efficient. Comprop and our representative at Jason Powers Construction, Andrew Ullyott, were both excellent at communicating with us and updating us on what was happening so we always had a lot of confidence in them.

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“When we started to get back on site in autumn 2021, we were very impressed with the quality of what had been delivered

by Rihoy’s. Any minor amendments were quickly made, and the overall end result was exactly what we would want for a Premier Inn.” Whitbread builds around half of its hotels itself, with the other half being delivered in the same way as the Guernsey property.

The company now has more than 800 hotels in the UK, so has plenty of experience in the build process. For Simon, that means they know exactly what they want and how they want it done: “We are very specific about what we need. Our technical team has a wealth of experience and provides extensive information regarding the technical and performance specifications we require.”

That process means every Premier Inn should meet the same high standards, and Simon believes the new Guernsey offering certainly does: “Despite the travel restrictions, the efforts of the whole team meant that we couldn’t have had a better experience throughout practical completion.

“I am responsible for about 25% of the current Whitbread estate, and I can’t think of another hotel build that has been as straightforward as this one. It was a very positive experience from our perspective and a project we’re certainly very proud of. If we ever get the opportunity to consider another site on the island, we would absolutely look at using the same team again.”

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

THE CONTRACTORS Developer:

Subcontractors:

Comprop CI Limited

C8 GFF CF Roberts Channel Welders DWA Flooring Access Scaffolding P3 Projection Coatings Sarnian Roofing Scott Wild Tiling Geomarine Paul Rouget Plant Hire Bob Froome and Sons Coastline UCF Sexton Green Siteweld Ronez Lightning Enterprises Vision Networks Intergrated Office Projects

Designers and consultants: Lovell Ozanne CBL Consulting Axiom Architects Henderson Green Jason Powers Consultants FME Integrated Colin Smith Partnership Axis Mason Tillyard

Main contractor: Rihoy & Son

Using our expertise to create spaces that work

Furniture Supplies Project Management Spatial Planning Consultancy & Design 01481 234490 admin@i-op.gg

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FEATURE

INSIDE SPACES While the new office building may look modern and appealing from the outside, for those working there it’s what’s on the inside that really matters. The main tenant of the office development was determined to make the most of their new environment to benefit their staff and clients.

When it comes to fitting out a large new office building such as Admiral Park Plaza, there is the need for expertise in both designing the space to work well for the tenant, and procuring the right furniture and fittings to see that vision come to life. For this project that took a team – architectural firm and design specialists, Axis Mason, along with Guernsey-based commercial interior company, Integrated Office Projects.

Mark Coppins was the project director at Axis Mason and, along with AnneMarie Benson, had responsibility for the interior design of the main tenant’s three floors of the building. They have been involved with the project for the past couple of years so have seen the project move through its build stages.

For Mark, working with the blank canvas of a brand-new building is the ideal way to work: “It’s always preferable to work on a new build project as it is logistically far simpler. If you’re trying to work in an

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existing, occupied building there are issues with everything from noise to dust. With this we could work closely with the client to get the layouts right from the very start and get the overall design aesthetic and principles in place.”

Integrated Office Projects had responsibility for the furniture fit-out. For director Chris Tardif, it was a project the firm was delighted to be involved with: “Creating a vibrant, modern space like this with a client who wants the best for their employees is a real joy for us.

With this being a new-build project, we were involved from very early on in the process so we were able to really plan it out properly and maximise the advantages of the space.”

Inside the space, the first floor comprises a large open-plan office space along with a number of side offices and meeting rooms.

Collaboration and breakout areas have

been provided as well as private booths to give the office users a variety of options when they look to move away from their desks.

For Mark, that reflects the way most businesses now want to operate: “I think the days of an office being split into desks, meeting rooms and cellular offices is gone. What firms want now is a variety of solutions that sit in between those options – things like focus booths where you can take yourself off to read a document in peace, or huddle booths where people can get together and discuss something without interrupting the rest of the office or taking up a meeting room. There are all kinds of interesting solutions for that available and IOP did a great job of finding products to meet that brief.”

On the second floor there is a large kitchen with a breakout area, booth seating and high tables and stools.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022 The glass frontage of the building ensures that it is a bright, open space that can be used for everything from daily lunch breaks to town hall meetings for the firm. Next to that is a gym facility with changing rooms and lockers to ensure that colleagues are encouraged to use the amenities. Finally, the top floor is comprised of client suites and meeting space.

Chris believes offering those type of facilities is a pattern other firms may try to follow: “After all the home working that islanders have done over the past couple of years, we know that many firms are trying to tempt people back into the office and this is certainly a great way of encouraging them to do that. Ultimately, your office space now needs to be somewhere that appeals to workers and it can be a powerful recruitment tool.”

With this fit-out, employee wellbeing was as important as aesthetics and for Mark, that approach is more than a passing trend: “After the past couple of years, everybody has become a lot more focused on the importance of wellbeing in all areas of life. So we focus on the functionality of the space and making it work effectively, but we also think very carefully about the wellbeing of those working in it. That can involve everything

from how the air conditioning works and where it’s placed to how you light the office. We are also now seeing improved space ratios for employees – people won’t accept being shoehorned into an office now, so the environment feels more spacious and comfortable.”

Chris agreed that a lot of thought has gone into ensuring it not only looks good but is an enjoyable place to work: “We sourced sit to stand desks as our client wanted to provide those for everybody, which is great from an occupational health and safety perspective. We also sourced high-quality ergonomic desk chairs to make sure people can sit comfortably.”

With the project complete, and the tenants happily installed in their new office space, Chris said he hopes that all involved have set an example to follow: “As a firm, it’s something we’re really proud of and we will certainly use it as a benchmark to show what can be achieved when looking to create a really modern vibrant office space.”

From a design point of view, the fit-out has aimed to combine soothing wood tones with pops of colour to lift the space. While much of that has been done through decoration and furniture, Chris said they also brought in a very natural approach: “One of the major home trends over the past couple of years has been the demand for houseplants and we are now seeing that filter through to office spaces. Here, we have put planters on top of the lockers throughout the office to bring a bit of the outdoors inside during the working day.”

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FEATURE

GETTING MOVING When planning permission was granted for this phase of the development, one of the conditions was the implementation of a travel plan for the site. It is something which is common in the UK but believed to be the first time one has been introduced in Guernsey.

The travel plan for Admiral Park Plaza was developed by UK-based ARUP, who are expert advisers in the area. With the objectives set, Nicki Bessin was appointed as the local travel plan co-ordinator (TPC) by Mawson Collins Ltd, the managing agents for the development, with the responsibility of implementing its objectives whilst assisting the site users to meet those goals.

For Nicki, a major part of the role will be communicating and working with the businesses. “Our overall goal is to reduce travel by car, and in particular solo occupancy vehicles. Any encouragement for site users to take public transport or a more active form of travel will benefit not only themselves, but also the environment and our island.”

“My role is to work with each of the businesses to provide advice. I understand firms with different working conditions will have individual requirements and I want to assist with tailoring options for them.

Somebody finishing a shift late at night cannot get the bus home and it is all about finding what will work.”

The travel plan contains objectives which businesses and occupants are required to adhere to, including obligations such as providing lockers and showers to encourage their staff to use alternative transport.

Businesses must provide bus ‘taster tickets’ to employees as an incentive to promote and trial public transport. The TPC role includes assisting, supporting and monitoring the businesses and occupants in all aspects of the travel plan.

While businesses have only just started moving in, Nicki has been in the role for several months. She has ensured she has used that time effectively to research and network with others who can support her remit: “I have met with various stakeholders who are working in this field and I am trying to apply the lessons I have learned to engage with the Plaza community and genuinely understand how we can promote better transport choices.”

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That understanding also includes analysing initiatives. Nicki will be undertaking regular surveys (another condition of the travel plan) so she has the facts and results to show how her work is making a difference: “This is the first time we have had the opportunity for this type of development in Guernsey, so there will be a certain amount of trial and error. It is crucial we can monitor what we achieve and show hard evidence of what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t work.”

Whilst Nicki is enthusiastic about how the role can be effective, she is practical about how to achieve it: “People should bear in mind they do not need to make huge changes every day to make a difference. Small tweaks to their routine can really help – they could try cycling to the office one day a week or catching the bus. They could start parking a little further away and walking to work. All these activities will build up over time and will benefit everyone and the environment. Changing a little can really change a lot.”

For further information about the site and the travel plan, visit www.admiralpark. gg or follow the social media pages at Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

WHAT IS A TRAVEL PLAN? A travel plan is a series of initiatives or measures devised to achieve the objectives of encouraging safe, healthy, and sustainable travel options.

Typically, the aim is to reduce travel by car, particularly solo occupancy journeys, which can make a positive contribution to the community and environment and help reduce the number of cars on the road.

A travel plan should provide incentives and/or disincentives to encourage users of a development to travel in a sustainable manner, which can mean choosing to travel by more sustainable modes than the single occupied car or changes to working practices that remove the need to travel altogether.

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FEATURE

OPEN FOR BUSINESS The opening of the new Admiral Park Plaza shows there is demand for high quality new office space in the island. But the development was built at an uncertain time, with the effects of an unprecedented couple of years still somewhat unknown. We asked some of the most experienced property agents in the island to share their thoughts on the current commercial market and their predictions on what we might see happen in the future.

WE’RE HEARING THAT EMPLOYERS ARE PREFERRING PEOPLE TO BE BACK IN THE OFFICE WHERE THEY CAN BENEFIT FROM COLLABORATION, SHARING OF IDEAS, TRAINING AND MENTORING AS WELL AS GENERAL CAMARADERIE AND SOCIAL COHESION.

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Since the start of the pandemic, it’s seemed like much of the world has shifted to working from home. While many Guernsey office workers did exactly that during the island’s two lockdowns, local property experts are fairly certain the island’s unique situation means the shift here will be nowhere near as marked as elsewhere.

“Many businesses are offering their employees flexibility and choice, but overwhelmingly we’re hearing that employers are preferring people to be back in the office where they can benefit from collaboration, sharing of ideas, training and mentoring as well as general camaraderie and social cohesion.”

Jo Watts is the managing director of Watts Property Consultants. She said while Covid has clearly had an impact on the market, it hasn’t substantially reduced the demand for office space: “While we have seen a couple of firms downsizing as a result of a long-term shift towards working from home, this has been the exception rather than the norm. Whilst tenants are looking at using space more efficiently, it hasn’t particularly led to additional space being released onto the market. It has more been a case of business ‘working smarter’.

The managing director of D2 Real Estate in Guernsey, Alex Titheridge, agrees with her.

He says the impact of working from home has been nowhere near as substantial as people may perceive: “The office remains central to the fortunes of the island’s economies. The impact has not been felt here as profoundly as other markets including the UK, for example. It’s worth noting that Guernsey-based occupiers don’t have the demands of a long commute on often overcrowded public transport systems so the office is often more appealing.”

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022 That differentiation of Guernsey from the UK is an important one for Peter van de Velde at Rock Commercial as well: “Anecdotally, I believe that most people are back in the office here. The island is very much a different scenario to the UK. The commute costs and inconvenience don’t exist in the same way so people would often rather be in the office. I think the UK will certainly see a permanent move towards more split working, but that’s not what I expect for Guernsey.”

All three emphasise the importance of faceto-face interaction and co-working that is enabled by sharing office space.

And it is in that area that they are expecting to see more significant changes in demand.

For Alex, it will mean a different approach from how office space has traditionally been used: “Occupiers are demanding more from their offices and looking to create a more agile working environment.

The purpose of the office is being redefined to be more collaborative and inspiring.

For example, investing in meeting rooms with high-tech conferencing systems that enable quality calls with remote employees, focus booths, collaboration zones, huddle pods etc. They will all become the norm, not the exception.”

That reflects what Jo and her team have been seeing as well: “We have noticed that those signing up to new leases are looking to create a more casual working culture, with breakout space, café areas and amenity zones to emulate more of the home environment. The drive is much more

towards open plan accommodation with zoned areas for collaboration, workspace and amenity space. Rather than creating cellular offices, we are also seeing a shift towards firms adopting acoustic furniture and pods which enables space to be much more flexible and also reduces the burden on dilapidations.”

But that new way of working doesn’t necessarily fit with some of the island’s older office spaces. And according to Alex, there is no easy way of finding new high-quality stock: “There isn’t much availability of Grade A stock on Guernsey generally, it’s less than 2% of total stock.

The natural constraints of the island and St Peter Port also don’t particularly help when it comes to new development, although hopefully we will soon see the next phase of office development at Admiral Park. Build costs have also shot up in the last few years as the cost of building materials as well as availability of labour has become prohibitive.”

Jo is also seeing that disparity between what companies are looking for, and what’s available to rent: “Businesses are definitely preferring good quality corporate space arranged over single floor plates.

But with the limited amount of new build stock currently available, we are noticing a real mismatch in demand and supply, particularly for premises up to 2,000 sq ft and that over 8,000 sq ft. Building cost inflation is also a key factor in reasonably priced good quality space coming forward but we are working with several developers

at the moment who are looking to reposition more secondary assets to provide contemporary Shoreditch style space which the market is demanding.”

While much of the focus is on the Grade A larger spaces – Peter says it’s worth remembering the importance of the smaller areas: “In Guernsey, between 80% and 90% of businesses employ less than five people and that is reflected in the requirements for offices and warehouses. The big spaces may make the headlines, but you need to remember that only 10-20% of the market is interested in those properties. I see a lot of demand from people looking for much smaller areas, and it is a strong part of the market.”

MAKING HEADLINES While office take-up figures have been subdued over the course of the pandemic, there have been some notable transactions in the island in recent months, with more news potentially on the horizon for phase 2 of Admiral Park Plaza.

Bank Julius Baer – 23,000 sq ft at No 1 The Plaza (pre-let)

Grant Thornton – 23,000 sq ft at St James’ Place (pre-let)

Aztec – 15 years at Trafalgar Court (re-gear)

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AWARDS

THE GUERNSEY PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION AWARDS 2021 16

Guernsey Property and Construction

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

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AWARDS

THE GUERNSEY PROPERTY AND CONSTRUCTION AWARDS 2021 THE WINNERS Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2021 Guernsey Property and Construction Awards.

Following their Covid-related postponement at the end of last year, the 2021 Guernsey Property and Construction Awards recently took place at St Pierre Park Hotel. The sold-out gala evening saw a host of property professionals from across the sector be recognised for their achievements over the past year.

Nine trophies were handed out during the evening, with the successes of both individuals and businesses rewarded. Entertainment was provided by local sea shanty and folk music group, GU10, while guests enjoyed a champagne reception and three course meal.

BEST PROJECT UNDER £300K DLM Architects – The Pool House Finalist: Paul & Anne Langlois – Guernsey Golf Club refurbishment

LANDSCAPING PROJECT OF THE YEAR Auburn Gardens Finalists: Bernie’s Gardening Services Prime Paving

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ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

BEST PROJECT OVER £300K Hillstone Construction – The Strawberry Farm development Finalists: Bohemia House Clos Carre development

PROPERTY AGENT OF THE YEAR

INDUSTRY SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

Sheppards Estate Agents

Tarmac Services

Finalists: Chateaux Shields & Rutland

Finalists: DHS Stainless Steel Fabrications

RISING STAR Koen Le Prevost, Alexander Plumbing Finalists: Sarah Birtwistle Madelaine Davies

CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Brian Singleton, the long-standing secretary and treasurer of the GBTEA, was recognised for his contribution to the industry. Read our interview with Brian on page 20, looking back at his career and family history in the sector.

Tim Pond, Ravenscroft Construction Finalists: Grant Steer Richard Spinney

ENGINEERING PROJECT OF THE YEAR Guernsey Electricity – undersea cable project

Guernsey Property and Construction

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INTERVIEW

BRIAN SINGLETON As secretary of the Guernsey Building Trades Employers Association (GBTEA), Brian Singleton has been a constant at the helm of the organisation for decades. During the Covid pandemic, he was responsible for ensuring members were kept as informed as possible. Brian was recently presented with a ‘Lifetime achievement award’ in recognition of his contribution to the industry.

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ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

I NEVER ADVERTISED AS I COULD ALWAYS RELY ON MY REPUTATION AND WORD OF MOUTH RECOMMENDATIONS. I TOOK A REAL PRIDE IN WHAT I DID AND ALSO REALLY ENJOYED THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT SIDE OF IT, SO I PARTICULARLY LIKED THE MORE CHALLENGING PROJECTS I TOOK ON DURING MY CAREER. Brian received a ‘lifetime achievement’ award and he definitely has a lifetime of experience in the construction industry.

When he left school almost on the day he turned 14, he was amongst the top of his class at the then Vauvert Secondary School. But with no interest in staying in education, he went straight into a trade.

“I was first offered a job with a firm called Davis Engineers. I remember they worked out of a dingy little office with a coal fire, and I quickly decided that wasn’t for me. My Gran’s family was involved in construction but I didn’t want to join the family firm, so my father spoke to Eddie Littlewood and he offered me a job.

“I enjoyed working there from the start.

Eddie was a great boss at the time. I had to work there for a year until I turned 15 and was old enough to sign my carpentry apprenticeship papers. I remember doing that at St Paul’s Church in Town [now the Sunken Garden) before it was knocked down.”

It’s now a decade since Brian Singleton retired in 2012 but the intervening years haven’t seen the recently turned 77-yearold slow down.

“I’m fortunate to have a large garden at home, but I couldn’t sit and watch the grass grow. I need to be busy and my role at the GBTEA keeps me occupied. I love the organisational side of it and I’ve been interested in computers since the very early days so I enjoy the challenge of that. I’m certainly not ready to retire.”

From Littlewoods, Brian set up on his own and worked for himself for the remainder of his working life until his retirement ten years ago.

“I never advertised as I could always rely on my reputation and word of mouth recommendations. I took real pride in what I did and also really enjoyed the project management side of it, so I particularly liked the more challenging projects I took on during my career.”

Brian still prides himself on his attention to detail, and he says it has always been important to him. He wanted his clients to have full faith in him so he believed in being completely transparent.

“When I did a bill for somebody, I would itemise absolutely everything – every hour I worked and every item I used right down to every nut and bolt. Everything had detailed explanations so my clients always knew exactly what I was charging for and why. Builders can get a bad reputation and I think it’s often down to a lack of detail so I always ensured that wasn’t the case with me.”

That attention to detail was helped by his technological knowledge. A self-described computer buff, Brian was able to marry two of his passions: “If I hadn’t been a carpenter, I would definitely have worked with computers. I’ve been fascinated with them since the days of black screen monitors. Most computers I’ve ever had I’ve built from scratch, and in the past I even assisted in developing industry software to help with wages for those in the industry. But looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing about my career. I’ve had so many interesting experiences and learned so much.”

While Brian is happy to reflect on his career, he’s more interested in looking forward to the next generation. For him, one of the most rewarding parts of his role at the GBTEA is organising its annual gala evening, where the achievements of that year’s crop of apprentices are recognised.

“I very much enjoy seeing the younger generation come through into the industry.

The gala dinner is all about the youngsters and rewarding their achievements.

Thanks to the sponsors, they walk away with a monetary reward as well as a trophy, but most importantly, they can take pride that the efforts they have put into their training and career have been recognised.”

Brian is passionate about encouraging more young people into the industry.

The GBTEA recently produced a short film, “I wouldn’t say no to construction,” which is available to view through its website at www.gbtea.gg.

The film highlights the multitude of different roles which are available in the industry and the breadth of opportunities it offers. Aimed at young people and shown in schools and through careers events, Brian is hoping it will make a real impact.

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INTERVIEW

I THINK THE ISLAND NEEDS US AS A VOICE OF THE INDUSTRY. WE HAVE SUCH A LONG HISTORY IN THE ISLAND AND WE HAVE GOOD LINKS INTO THE STATES SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR MEMBERS’ VOICES ARE HEARD. WE ALSO OFFER SUPPORT AND NETWORKING FOR THOSE IN THE INDUSTRY WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

Many of those featured have undertaken apprenticeship schemes through the Guernsey College of Further Education.

The College celebrated the 70th anniversary of its apprenticeships scheme a couple of years ago. For Brian it’s an important connection: “When the College was first set up, it was the construction industry that spearheaded it. We have therefore had a strong association with the College ever since, and it is hugely important they provide that training onisland. People need to remember how vital the construction industry is to everybody – everyone would be living in tents if it wasn’t for us. The construction industry contributes a huge amount to the quality of life in the island as well as the economy.”

While he recognises the value of the industry, he says the general public need to be more aware of it and recognise its work needs to be rewarded to attract and retain people: “Wages are the problem and Guernsey is an expensive place to live.

My trade was carpentry and I remember when I started out all of the money I earned went into buying tools. I understand that isn’t very appealing to many people so we have to make sure that those in the industry are being paid a realistic wage for their time and skills – it’s really important that people recognise the value of the work they are doing.”

Improving the public’s perception of the industry is one aspect of the work of the GBTEA. Brian joined the organisation in 1980, and first took on the administration role of treasurer in 1990. In 1994, he took on the secretarial role for the organisation before combining the two in 2010. During the 40 plus years he has been involved, he has clearly seen a huge amount of change in the organisation and the industry.

“It’s certainly evolved since I first joined.

When I became a council member, I was already very interested in computers and how to make things more efficient using technology. Ray Le Page had been the secretary for a long time at this point and had his own way of doing things, so my suggestion that we print out the envelope labels to send out meeting agendas and minutes was quite a controversial one!”

Since taking on the two roles, Brian is now able to use his skills to manage the administration of the organisation as effectively as he wants. While some may question his desire to take on the heavy workload of both jobs, he thinks it makes sense.

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“Because everything comes through the secretary anyway, the treasurer role comes together really well with it. The workload is certainly manageable – we have Council meetings once a month which I organise and I also deal with member queries and those from the public. With my grandson’s help, I set up the GBTEA website. He is a programme developer so I told him what I wanted and he built it, and that’s really helped to automate a lot of the role.”

While Brian says his day-to-day responsibilities with the GBTEA are not onerous, he was recently kept very busy with the organisation. When Covid hit the island, the industry was badly affected as no sites could operate during lockdown.

Brian took on the responsibility of liaising with the States of Guernsey and providing his members with as much up to date information as possible. It was a role he took very seriously, and one the GBTEA members appreciated.

“I’ve had a lot of recognition from members for the work I did during Covid, so I’m really pleased to know it helped. There was a colossal amount of correspondence during that time with our members as they wanted and needed to know what was happening.

I would monitor everything on the States website and at briefings and immediately send updates out to our members.

The feedback I had was that it was hugely helpful and helped provide clarity at such an uncertain time. For me, it was good to feel that I could do something constructive and helpful and I’m lucky because I had the time to do it and I enjoy that kind of work.”

With the worst of Covid hopefully behind us, Brian is now looking forward to the future of the GBTEA. He believes it serves an important role for the industry: “There is always room for improvement but I think we do a pretty good job at the moment. We’re very open and honest with our members.

We hold an open AGM where we encourage our members to come along and speak directly to us so we can represent them. I think the island needs us as a voice of the industry. We have such a long history in the island and we have good links into the States so we can ensure that our members’ voices are heard. We also offer support and networking for those in the industry which is important.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

“We would like to expand our reach with the right members. We have around 135 members on our database and that’s stayed fairly static for a while as some join and others leave the industry but I think there are plenty of other people that could join and would benefit from being involved.

That’s not to say that we take everybody – we see being a member of the GBTEA as a badge of honour and so there is a certain screening process that takes place. To join, new members have to be proposed and seconded by current members and need to have been trading for at least a year. We may want to expand, but it needs to be with the right people.”

Those people, however, won’t be a continuation of Brian’s family line.

While his family history in the industry and with the organisation stretches back to his great-grandfather, his son and daughter both work in the finance industry.

But while the GBTEA involvement will end at some time in the future, he has ensured that his skills have been passed on.

1987: Brian was elected to the council representing builders group B (for a period of three years).

1990: Brian was elected treasurer (for a period of four years).

1994: Brian was elected secretary.

BRIAN AND THE GBTEA The GBTEA has a long history in the island, and Brian’s family involvement dates right back to the start …

1918: the GBTEA was formed on 2 April 1918. The inaugural secretary was Stephen Rabey (partner of the firm J&S Rabey Ltd), who held the post for 21 years.

1980: Stephen Rabey’s greatgrandson, Brian Singleton, joined the GBTEA as a member.

2010: Brian remained secretary but also undertook the treasurer’s duties in a combined role.

2022: Brian continues to hold both roles to the present day, meaning that he has provided a period of 35 years’ service to the GBTEA executive, working with 12 presidents during that time.

As well as the secretarial and treasurer duties, Brian also administers the GBTEA’s Passport to Safety scheme and the organisation’s website.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

GHA chief executive announces retirement significant milestones, including providing more than 800 new homes for local residents.

Chief executive officer of the Guernsey Housing Association, Steve Williams, has announced that he plans to retire from the organisation in February 2023.

Steve has spent 17 years with the association and has seen it achieve many

Steve says he is very proud of all that the GHA has accomplished during his tenure: “Some of the most memorable moments have been seeing and hearing about how having a secure affordable home has changed people’s quality of life for the better. I am in no doubt that these successes were made possible thanks to the dedication and hard work of the entire team.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the GHA working with a great staff team, and am now looking forward to more leisure time and less pressure. In the meantime, I have another 12 months to do what we can to help people seeking housing.”

The GHA board of directors will soon begin the process of identifying the best candidate to succeed Steve and is aiming to have the new person in post by late summer.

Steve will remain in post until February 2023 to ensure an extensive handover.

Chris Hill, chairman of the GHA, said: “Steve will have been with us for almost two decades when he retires, and we are very grateful for his hard work in establishing the operation we have today. He has made a significant contribution to the provision of both social rented and partial ownership housing. Steve’s leadership and collaboration on the board will be greatly missed, and I am very grateful for the significant contribution he has made.”

PF+A expands into Alderney Charlie Hodder will lead this initiative for PF+A and will be a regular visitor with other colleagues from the Guernsey team to assist current and prospective clients with their projects. PF+A has offices in Guernsey and Jersey and provides architectural services across all the Channel Islands.

PF+A Architecture has announced its expansion into the northern island of Alderney. Colin Partridge has been appointed as a consultant to PF+A as he steps down from the architectural practice he founded some 44 years ago in the island.

Charlie Hodder of PF+A said: "This is an interesting time for Alderney with more people moving to the island or looking to improve their homes and businesses.

We have several live projects in Alderney and are visiting the island every couple of weeks. We are really looking forward to working with Colin as he retires and to continue to support

the local community by providing high quality architectural design that will enhance Alderney’s built environment."

Colin Partridge is retiring from practice but will work as a consultant to PF+A to ensure that Alderney continues to enjoy a high standard of architectural services. Colin had worked in Guernsey from 1972 before moving to Alderney in 1978. He also served for 22 years as a jurat in the Alderney court, 16 of which as chairman, for which he was appointed an OBE in 2012. Colin said: “I am looking forward to a close working relationship with PF+A to the greater benefit of the Alderney community and future sustainability of the island.”

New appointments at Lovell Ozanne Claudia qualified as an architect from the University of Ricardo Palma in Lima, Peru before graduating with merit from her master’s degree in architecture from the University of Westminster in London.

She joined Lovell Ozanne following nine years working professionally in Lima and London and the firm says she has integrated easily into its design team.

Lovell Ozanne has recently appointed two new chartered architects to its St Martin’s based practice – Claudia Pozo and Julian Hurley.

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“My interests lie in the residential and commercial sectors,” said Claudia.

“My main objective is to respond to the needs of the client while trying to protect

the environment and take advantage of its potential. I am excited to work in the island and take advantage of what it can offer.”

Julian graduated from the Universities of Westminster, Kingston and Portsmouth and registered as an architect in 2012.

He worked as project architect on a variety of building typologies in central London on contracts up to £10m. Julian returned to Guernsey in 2018 and joined Lovell Ozanne’s studio in late 2021.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

Growth at Watts Property Watts Property has announced the appointment of Teresa Da Costa as head of property management at the firm.

Having recently immigrated from South Africa, Teresa has 25 years industry experience in the commercial property sector. With a strong understanding of property fundamentals, an extensive knowledge in all sectors and a credible history of success in complex lease negotiation and lease restructuring, Jo Watts, managing director of Watts Property, said: “Teresa’s appointment allows us to consolidate the strength of the service we

offer to all our clients, particularly in the sphere of property management. It also enables us to release key members of the team to focus on other parts of the business, thereby ensuring we continue to develop our offering in line with market demand.

“Teresa is extremely well respected in her native country across the value chain of brokers, property managers, tenants and landlords. She has also sat on the board of directors for multiple council improvement districts. We are so pleased she has joined us and look forward to working with her to continue maximising value for our clients.”

A new face at Alpha Estates joined friend and director Damian Wood at the firm.

Alongside the new appointment, the firm will benefit from a redesigned website, a spruce up of its Contree Mansell Street office and new telecoms and IT systems. It is also launching an Alderney franchise.

Following a turbulent year for Alpha Estates, with the passing of its founding director, John Le Tissier, the estate agency says it is moving forward in 2022. Chris Bale has

For Damian, while the changes will benefit the firm, its core values will stay the same: “There may have been a lot of changes but our ethos at Alpha Estates will always remain. We are a small company with a big commitment to going the extra mile

for our clients. John was always proud that the company was open, approachable and honest and that is the vision we want to continue.”

Despite being a newcomer to the industry, Chris thinks he is in a good position to help with that: “I’ve spent most of my working life in the caring profession so I believe my soft skills are my real strength and will stand me in good stead in this new role.

My intuitive nature clearly sees the stresses and strains that come with property sales and I believe my experience will be a real benefit when seeing people through the entire buying and selling process.”

Candie Gardens ticket office restored The former Candie Gardens ticket office has been restored to its original form after a local contractor, Arthur Leadbeater, volunteered to take on the project. The small building served the island for many years as a ticket office for Candie Gardens and is considered a charming little piece of Guernsey heritage.

When tickets stopped being sold at this location, the ticket office fell into disuse and has been covered in ivy for many years. The abandoned building was uncovered during maintenance of the surrounding area.

The public was very encouraging of the building’s rejuvenation and Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services (ACLMS) say they were delighted when local builder, Arthur Leadbeater, kindly offered to restore and repair the derelict building at

no charge. The restoration has now been completed and ACLMS has thanked and commended Mr Leadbeater for his work.

Mr Leadbeater organised the project and put in around 400 hours of his own time to restore the ticket office to its former glory, while a number of other contractors also donated time and resources. A great effort was made to try to incorporate the original features of the building. For example, the original coat hooks were able to be kept, rather than replaced, and the same type of heritage bricks were sourced to replace the broken ones that could no longer be used.

It is yet to be determined if the building will be given a use once more or if it will simply stand as a piece of history for islanders and visitors to enjoy.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

St Peter Port Conservation Area Character Appraisal approved Towards the end of last year, a Development Framework was approved for the three St Peter Port Regeneration Areas. As these are all within the Conservation Area, the principles in their Development Framework made sure to take account of the Conservation Area. The two documents are therefore closely aligned and the Appraisal now feeds into and informs the Development Framework.

Deputy Victoria Oliver, president of the Development & Planning Authority, said:

The Development & Planning Authority (D&PA) has approved a Character Appraisal for St Peter Port, with the aim of further assisting and enabling positive development in Guernsey’s main town.

The Appraisal provides a useful guide to owners, developers, their agents and the public in understanding the character and appearance of an area and in designing development that will respect, conserve and, where possible, enhance it.

" Where the Regeneration Area Development Framework provides specific guidance, the Appraisal provides a broader analysis for how we can conserve and enhance what makes our main town special. This appraisal won't hinder development, instead it is now another document available to developers to assist them and enable positive change that brings social and economic benefit, while preserving what makes Guernsey a great place to live and visit.”

Current planning requirements still in place permission will no longer need it. This will be the case for a large number of frequently submitted applications, such as demolition and/or erection of chimneys, installation of external render, electric vehicle charging points, solar panels and changes to existing vehicle access.

Legislation now needs to be drafted, lodged with the Greffier and subsequently further approved by the States before the proposals will come into effect. Until this time it will remain a legal requirement to submit a planning application, pay any corresponding fees, plus anything else which is required under the current law.

Following the recent approval by the States to update the Exemptions Ordinance of the Planning Law, the Planning Service has outlined the process for updating legislation to ensure that islanders understand the current requirements.

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The proposals were designed to give more flexibility to islanders and simplify the planning process. The States approval means that once the legislation is in force, certain changes to property and land which previously required planning

Further updates and guidance will be provided by the Planning Service prior to the implementation of the updated Exemptions Ordinance to help individuals understand what these changes will mean for them.

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Mont Crevelt breakwater reinstated Crevelt. This formed a continuous outer wall to create an enclosed lagoon, which has gradually been filled in using inert waste materials from local construction and demolition projects.

Engineers are reinstating a section of the outer wall at Longue Hougue land reclamation site. The rock armour constructed around the outer perimeter of the reclamation site originally joined to the end of an existing breakwater below Mont

However, a section of the original breakwater was removed about 20 years ago, during the construction of the St Sampson's marina. Local engineers Geomarine were awarded the contract to carry out the reinstatement works, following a tender process.

Guernsey Waste senior technical adviser, Rob Roussel, said they will ensure the appearance of the new section is consistent with the rest of the breakwater: “The first

stage is to create a concrete foundation, to form the base for a reinforced concrete wall that will gradually fill the gap in the breakwater. Then it will be faced with the same rock from the original breakwater, which has been stored since the opening was created. This will ensure that even though it is an engineered solution, once it is finished the new section will have the original appearance."

The reinstatement of the breakwater will enable the completion of the Longue Hougue land reclamation. It is estimated the site has around two years fill life remaining, with the area adjacent to the breakwater opening being the final section to be completed.

Planning permission granted for La Grande Mare

Planning permission has been granted to redesign, improve and expand La Grande Mare Hotel, Vazon, with the hope of bringing significant potential for economic growth and tourism.

The planning application for the site proposes the demolition of the existing buildings and driving range, to be replaced with a "Country Club" building containing a golf club, health and fitness club, restaurant and event facilities, 15 self-catering visitor accommodation lodges, a new driving range and academy building with ancillary storage sheds and parking, a new parking area, new access off Le Gele Road and the extension and remodelling of the existing golf course.

Deputy Victoria Oliver, President of the Development & Planning Authority, said:

"I'm really pleased to see planning permission granted for this site. It's an application which needed to consider a lot of different elements and which needed to balance enabling of economic and social potential for Guernsey, while also mitigating any environmental impact.

Taking into account all the assessments, representations and comments received, it was concluded that the balance of consideration rests very clearly in favour of the proposals and we're excited to see the benefits this development will bring to our local community."

Draft Development Framework prepared for the Mallard Once finalised, the Development Framework will provide guidance for how the site can be developed. This includes, but is not limited to, local needs, provision of space, biodiversity and access arrangements.

To aid the development of additional extra-care accommodation, nursing and residential homes, a draft Development Framework has been prepared for a potential specialised housing development at the Mallard, Rue De La Villiaze, Forest.

This Development Framework uses a new template which aims to provide a more focused and succinct document that draws out the key points for the site through the site analysis and development guidelines sections.

The Mallard site is located within the Airport Consultation Zone and the majority of the site falls within the Forest West Local Centre, as identified within the Island Development

Plan. The overall site area is approximately 2.4 hectares (14.6 vergées); c.0.98 hectares of the southerly area lies in an Agriculture Priority Area and outside the Local Centre Boundary and is therefore not considered as part of the Development Framework.

Following consultation, the comments received together with the documents will then be considered by the Development & Planning Authority. If approved by the Authority, the Development Framework will become Supplementary Planning Guidance and will be taken into account when considering development proposals for the site.

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FEATURE

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

THE POOL HOUSE The winner of the ‘Best project under £300k’ award at the recent Property and Construction Awards, The Pool House was a small project which had big ambitions. With an initial brief to create a flexible entertainment space, the architect could have kept it simple; instead he created a unique structure, which has added to the appeal of the main house while offering something special of its own.

FEATURE

IT WAS VERY CHALLENGING, BUT IT WAS A REALLY ENJOYABLE PROJECT AND GREAT TO DO SOMETHING SO DIFFERENT. When the clients approached architect David de la Mare about the project, they told him they wanted to create a covered entertainment space in an under-utilised corner of their garden next to their swimming pool. Benefiting from the end of day sunshine, they had a vision of a space that could be used for inside dining in the winter and as an open-air pool house in the summer.

For David, it was a project that offered some interesting opportunities: “We could have done something fairly simple with that brief, but the client was quite adventurous and was looking for something more dynamic and interesting. They wanted it to be something quite special and unique, which is the approach we always want to take with our projects, so it was a good fit for us.”

Abutting the main house, the new space needed to use the existing building and surfaces while adding to its overall appeal.

For David, there was also the need to marry his work to a previous design: “The house

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itself had previously had a substantial amount of work done to it in a certain style so our design needed to fit in with that. At the same time, we wanted it to stand apart as a new addition. Luckily, we were all keen on using Crittall style windows as a defining feature so that gave us a good starting point.”

There were a number of practical considerations to take into account with the site, including height constraints to the boundary and a limit to its footprint due to the pool filtration equipment.

But the main challenge was the location itself – an area of the garden which could get extremely hot during the summer but would also be cold and windy in the winter.

For David, the concept was clear from the first sketch: “From the start of the process, the design included the idea of a canopy to create shade and shelter from the sun when needed. But at the same time, we wanted to propose a space that could be fully enclosed. Our solution was to use a heated marble wall inside the space to make it usable and comfortable in the winter, but with a pivoting door that can open it up in the summer while also providing solar shade or shelter from rain.”

That pivoting door became a focal point of the project – both in terms of the appearance of the building, and the challenges it posed. Adrian Tourtel is the managing director of Stainless Steel Fabrications. For him, it was exactly the sort

of project he enjoys: “It was very challenging, but it was a really enjoyable project and great to do something so different. From the initial meetings with the engineers, it was clear that we were really going to have to put our minds to how we could make it work.

“The initial concept included pulleys and more manual handling of the door, but it soon became clear that wouldn’t be practical. From a safety point of view, using hydraulics was necessary and then we needed to work out how to make that effective. At the same time, the appearance of the door needed to be married with what was needed from a practical point of view.”

Along with the technical challenges of that door, the design also called for plenty of input from Adrian and his team, as David explained: “The design involved a fully exposed 200mm structural steel frame. As well as supporting the enormous 3.2 metre square horizontal top pivot hydraulic door, it also supports a 3.2 metre high vertically pivoting door. All of that was designed, fabricated and assembled locally. Architects and engineers can only do so much though, and it was Adrian and his team that really made it work and importantly, made it safe.”

For Adrian, once the planning was complete, he had every faith that his team could successfully construct and install it: “A lot of work went into this project – for such a small area, the amount of detail was more than you see in some houses. But for us, the manufacture itself was relatively

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WE DON’T ALWAYS WANT STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTIONS - MY TEAM AND I LOVE THE CHALLENGE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND IT’S A PROJECT WE WILL LOOK BACK ON WITH PRIDE. straightforward. Once it was built, however, it was too big to be manually handled so we had to crane it in. Fine tuning it took some time, but I had every confidence that it would work.”

And work it does – providing a very distinctive addition to the existing house, while cedar cladding wraps the two together to form a new whole.

Inside the space, along with the feature marble wall the room incorporates an indoor BBQ and fridges within bespoke leather wrapped units. All internal materials are waterproof so it can be treated as outdoor space, or closed up to provide a more intimate dining area. LED lighting has been used extensively to wrap the floor, walls and ceiling and form a break between changes in material.

For something designed to look simple, there were certain complications, as David explained: “While the structure itself posed the main challenge, there were smaller challenges inside the space, particularly in co-ordinating what needed to be in there while still wanting it to appear very clean and minimalist. Having a BBQ inside poses its own issues such as needing carbon dioxide

alarms and adequate ventilation, but I think we managed to achieve a practical space which has still retained the appearance the client was aiming for.”

For David, it was a help that the space was classed as an outside space when it came to the requirements they needed to meet: “While the space is built to a very high standard, because it is a garden room we didn’t need to comply with all the building regulations we would have needed to for a habitable space. It would have been much harder to create the space we have if thermal requirements etc had needed to be met. This is a wet room, but it is also a heated space which makes it very usable for the client.”

The end result has met not only the practical requirements of the original client brief, but the design objectives of David and his team: “This building is unique, fun and probably completely over the top, but it is also hugely complex and has been a massively challenging and exciting undertaking for all involved.”

For Adrian, it’s also an endeavour to be proud of: “A project like this might look simple and easy at the end, but that certainly belies what went into it. But we don’t always want straightforward solutions - my team and I love the challenge of something like this and it’s a project we will look back on with pride.”

THE CONTRACTORS DLM Architects Alan Ellis Stainless Steel Fabrications Ltd Dorey, Lyle & Ashman Ltd Sarnia Roofing LG Tiling Surface Plaster P3 Facades & Interiors Dean Machon Tony Brown J H Mahy & Sons Ltd MHV Upholstery

Guernsey Property and Construction

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INTERVIEW

JON SHEPPARD When Sheppards Estate Agents took home the ‘Property agent of the year’ award at the recent Guernsey Property and Construction Awards, the accolade was an unexpected, but very welcome, surprise to its founder, Jon Sheppard. A relative newcomer on the property scene, the agency was only launched a couple of years ago. Since then, Jon has overseen the expansion of his team and a move to a new St Martin’s office.

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ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022 With a background of many years working in conveyancing, Jon Sheppard is better placed than most to understand all the issues that can be encountered when buying or selling a house. For him, that experience can make all the difference when it comes to helping his clients successfully navigate the housing market.

“When I started working in estate agencies, there was an element of frustration for me.

Having spent so long on the other side of the process, I could see what could be done more effectively. I also genuinely believed that I could offer a better service to people based on my core morals and beliefs in the way the process should work. It is really important to me that I always do the right thing, so it helps that I’m a straight talker who is prepared to tell people when they are being greedy or not acting in the way they should. I’m certainly not a stereotypical estate agent – it’s not always about the money for me, it’s about my reputation and making sure I do the right thing for everybody.”

When Jon stopped working in conveyancing, he was offered an opportunity to use his wealth of experience working in a local estate agency. Having learned the ropes of that side of the industry, he then took some enforced time out following an accident, and during that period committed to the leap of starting out on his own.

“I started the business very small, with just me working here. I began working on setting up the company in November 2019 and wanted to start without immediately exposing myself to large monthly wage bills etc. I ended up renting a desk in an office space in Town and operated from there. It went well and then we hit March 2020 and the world went crazy.”

With hindsight and the knowledge of how the market responded to Covid, it was the ideal time to set up his business, but at the time it felt like a real leap. However, from the start Jon knew where his focus should be and he was certain he could make a success of it.

“When I launched Sheppards, I needed to decide where we wanted to sit in the market. However, I genuinely believe we can do a good job of selling properties at every level, and we have even been referred to as a ‘boutique estate agent’ by some of our clients. I thought it might take a little while

to become established, but my network of people I’ve met over the years really helped and personal recommendations meant that we were able to get established with a portfolio fairly quickly.

“There were a few areas that I concentrated on when setting up the business. I didn’t use a templated website, even though that would probably have been cheaper and easier. I felt it was key to have a custom built one so that I could change everything and anything. I asked a few friends who had lovely houses if I could use them as examples on templates and it went from there. I knew the website would be absolutely critical to our business. As our virtual shop window, we need something that grabs people’s attention and looks professional. For the same reason, we always make sure we use very high quality images of our properties, and make sure we have good, clear details available.”

WHEN IT CAME TO NAMING THE COMPANY, I REALLY DEBATED WHETHER TO USE MY NAME OR NOT. IN THE END I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO HAVE THAT PERSONAL CONNECTION TO IT. I’M PUTTING MY NAME TO THE COMPANY SO PEOPLE HAVE THAT GUARANTEE THAT I AM BACKING THE AGENCY AND THE SERVICE WE OFFER

Importantly, it’s Jon’s name on that website and over the office door. For any business owner, the decision of whether or not to use your own moniker for your company is a big one. Having given it a great deal of thought, Jon decided that for him it felt right.

“When it came to naming the company, I really debated whether to use my name or not. In the end I decided that I wanted to have that personal connection to it. I’m putting my name to the company so people have that guarantee that I am backing the agency and the service we offer. Guernsey is so small that I thought it was important that I made the connection clear.”

While Jon started the firm as a one-man band, by the summer of 2020 the heat was in the market and he was so busy he really needed some help with the business. He says taking on a family friend to help out turned out to be one of the best decisions he’s made.

“At the beginning when I employed Jasmine, neither of us necessarily saw it as a longterm role for her, but it ended up being a fantastic decision for me and the business.

She now works full-time and is my righthand woman. I rely on her to organise things when I am busy or not in the office.

She has a thirst for knowledge and great attention to detail, which has been a real help while she’s been learning the industry.

At the same time, she’s a real creative so she’s been able to take responsibility for the property photography and all the social media side of the business.”

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INTERVIEW

Along with Jasmine, Jon has expanded with a flexible team of employees who share the responsibilities of the busy office: “Lisa works in the office for 28 hours a week and helps with organising appointments and our diaries, correspondence and the website as well as the all-important job of answering the phone. Annie works in the afternoons to cover Lisa, while Jo does the bookkeeping and Emma organises the client due diligence and some of the HR duties such as holidays and staff contracts.”

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It sounds like a slightly complicated system of part-time employees, but Jon is certain that for him, it’s the most efficient way of running the business: “We operate as a family and it’s really important to me to be a good employer. I offer a lot of flexibility to my staff as I know that’s what a lot of people are looking for. But I’m also aware that I don’t want my monthly commitments to be too high, so while my staff are paid well, most of them are on contracts that suit their individual needs and work as much as we require depending on how busy the business is.”

The expanded team would certainly not fit in Jon’s initial rented desk space, but he realised fairly early on that he was going to outgrow that. He therefore took the decision to move into a bespoke office space, which he oversaw a custom renovation for last year. In the heart of St Martin’s, it has given the firm a significant physical presence as well as their virtual one. But he believes it was a necessary move to provide the firm with the ability to offer the enhanced levels of customer service he prides himself on.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022 “I’m passionate about customer service and it’s certainly an area I want Sheppards to differentiate themselves on. When I worked in conveyancing I went above and beyond to try to remove the stress on people, and I take the same approach with this firm. It also helps that I’ve been in the industry for long enough to know a lot of people – so if I don’t know an answer for my client, I can usually find it out.

“If I had a slogan for Sheppards, I think it would be that we’re not about a quick sale, we’re about the right sale. I like to be able to sleep at night and know that I’ve done the best for my clients.

I think it helps that I haven’t always been an estate agent and have gained experience in conveyancing and trust and company over the years. I also don’t have an engrained drive to sell at any cost or to pit my team against each other, we have to remain exactly that - a team. I look at it in terms of if I make money then they all benefit from a share of it beyond their normal contractual terms. We work together and get rewarded together.”

While Jon now has considerable experience as an estate agent, he believes his conveyancing background is still key to his success. He says that his thorough understanding of all parts of the process means that his clients know exactly what to expect.

“If you look at our success record for selling properties, it is really good. I think the trick is that we identify issues before they become problems. My background obviously helps hugely with that as I’m aware of many of the pitfalls that can affect a property sale.

We don’t want our sales to fall through, so we always make sure we’re very upfront with potential purchasers. I like to think there is a mutual respect between the client and the agent and the purchaser and the agent.

IF I HAD A SLOGAN FOR SHEPPARDS, I THINK IT WOULD BE THAT WE’RE NOT ABOUT A QUICK SALE, WE’RE ABOUT THE RIGHT SALE. I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT AND KNOW THAT I’VE DONE THE BEST FOR MY CLIENTS

Two years in to being a business owner, Jon is certain that despite the unavoidable stresses that accompany it, starting Sheppards was the right decision for him.

He says the hard work is always worth it when he gets a happy client at the end of the process.

“My main satisfaction in this job isn’t the money. It’s the customers feeding back to me that we’ve gone above and beyond to help them and that they appreciate that. We do our best to make sure we communicate well with everybody and do everything we can to make the process as smooth as possible. If you have used us to buy or sell a property, I want us to be the first people you think of when it comes to selling something on again. I think as an agent you always have to remember that the purchaser in your current sale could be the vendor next time. Everyone is a potential client so you want to be seen as reasonable, fair and honest by all parties.”

That attitude was recognised when Jon recently won the ‘Property agent of the year’ award at the Guernsey Property and Construction Awards. He says receiving the trophy was an unexpected result, but one he was delighted with.

“I was shocked. It was the first time we’d entered so I certainly wasn’t expecting to win. I was genuinely happy to be a finalist, so getting the trophy was a bonus. As a new brand had started up from nowhere, it was a real recognition that we’d achieved something. I was absolutely elated and so pleased for my team to get the recognition they so deserve. Since starting the business, I have lost my brother so it was very special to be able to dedicate the award to him at the ceremony, albeit later than expected due to Covid.”

“I know that as a conveyancer, I would end up explaining all the steps in the process to the client as the estate agent had often given unrealistic deadlines. I understand how it all works so I’m able to manage my clients’ expectations from the start. From bank turnaround periods to the timescales for court, I know the mechanics and workings of the process inside out, which helps to keep my clients calm during what is a very emotionally charged time for many people.”

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FEATURE

ST JAMES’ PLACE Nestled next to Guernsey’s Royal Court building and the iconic St James venue, this new office building is in the very heart of St Peter Port. With spectacular sea views from the higher levels, it is certainly making the most of its location. But that location poses its own challenges when it comes to the construction.

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When construction is complete on the St James’ Place office building, it will offer around 18,500 sq.ft. of Grade A office space in the centre of Town. But Steve Marie, managing director of developer Comprop, admits that squeezing that space out of the site was a challenge: “It’s a very tricky site so it took some work and real planning to get that efficiency from it. We also had the issue when we were looking at it that we didn’t know what the ground conditions were going to be like and whether there would be issues there, but luckily it’s worked out really well.”

While the ground conditions were in its favour, main contractor Rihoy & Son has had plenty of other issues to deal with on the site. Managing director, Gavin Rihoy, said it all

comes down to location: “We are working on a postage stamp site with roads on either side. We’ve got the use of the road that runs between St James and the Royal Court for the duration of the contract which helps a lot.

“To make the site workable, the first thing we did was build a big concrete box which will eventually be the carpark part of the complex.

That means that we do have space to use as a laydown area during the rest of the project. It’s also about being organised. We have to think through the logistics of what we need and ensure that materials are coming in sequentially as and when we need them.”

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

IT’S ALL WORKING OUT REALLY WELL SO FAR...

I THINK IT’S THE BEST TEAM WE’VE EVER HAD.

With that attitude, the build is progressing well so far. The curtain walling and glazed façade are now being completed, with the aim of the building being wind and watertight soon. Once that has happened, Rihoy’s is keen to press ahead with the internal fit-out in time for the July completion date, as Gavin explained: “Inside, we have started fitting out the building with the mechanical and electrical installations and gearing up for all of the fit-out packages. We have a whole team including engineers, a site manager and surveyors on site now and they will manage the process until completion. It’s a complex site and we want to make sure we get it right.”

Rihoy’s is also responsible for the fit-out for anchor tenant Grant Thornton, who will use the majority of the building when they move into three floors of the new development.

However, the ground floor suite remains available to prospective tenants.

Despite the usual Covid challenges, the project is still keeping to its programme, something Steve attributes to the strength of the team behind it: “It’s all working out really well so far and I would certainly put that down to our project team, Jason Powers Consultants, and Rihoy’s.

We’ve been working with them a lot recently [on Admiral Park] and I think it’s the best team we’ve ever had.”

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Tillyard is pleased to be acting as Quantity Surveyors / Cost Consultants on the Admiral Park development for Comprop (C.I.) Limited.

Tillyard – Professional. Flexible. Effective.

Tillyard – Chartered Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers Second Floor, Commercial House, Commercial Street, St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands JE2 3RU T:738556 E:enquiries@tillyardci.com

www.tillyardci.com

Setting The Standard Since 1978

Kitchens | Bathrooms | Bedrooms | Homeware | Tiles Forest Road | Tel: 234000 | mail@cic.gg | cic.gg

MORTGAGES AND FINANCE This season, spring clean your finances with our experts’ advice on remortgaging and making the most of your assets. And if money matters seem a bit complicated, our straight-talking guide will clear up any confusion.

Fixed Rate Mortgages, by

Have peace of mind knowing exactly what your monthly repayments are with our 10-Year, 5-Year or 2-Year Fixed Rate mortgages. Our friendly on-island team understand the local market and can respond to your mortgage application within a few days.

Let’s have a conversation about how Butterfield can help.

E-mail CIMortgages@Butterfieldgroup.com or call us on 751 900.

COS-6383-11MAR2022

butterfieldgroup.com Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up with repayments on your mortgage. To apply, you must be 18+ and resident in Guernsey. All mortgages are subject to status and valuation. The maximum amount you can borrow will depend on your individual financial situation, your other circumstances, the property you wish to buy and the type of mortgage you choose.

Butterfield Bank (Guernsey) Limited (“BBGL”) is licensed and regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission under The Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2020 and The Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2020, each as amended from time to time, under registration number 85. BBGL is registered under the Data Protection (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2017, under registration number 11160 and with the Guernsey Registry under registration number 21061. BBGL’s registered office address is P.O. Box 25, Regency Court, Glategny Esplanade, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 3AP. BBGL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of N.T. Butterfield & Son Limited.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

Why spring is the perfect time to re-mortgage Spring is in the air. Fresh buds are blooming, crops are growing, and fauna is thriving. But it is not just nature that finds itself reenergised at this time of year.

The spring season is typically the most active period for the property industry. While the pandemic has thrown this trend slightly off kilter, with bumper demand over the last two years, as spring approaches the expectation for 2022 remains strong and re-mortgaging, in particular, is predicted to maintain its popularity.

A more favourable arrangement

GUERNSEY’S AVERAGE PROPERTY PRICE SOARED TO HIGHS OF £550,893 (AS OF Q4 2021), AN 11.7% INCREASE ON THE CORRESPONDING QUARTER IN 2020.

Unsurprisingly, almost a third of respondents in Butterfield’s 2021 Channel Islands Mortgage Survey, who had recently remortgaged, reported that the end of a fixed term period prompted them to do so. Interest rates hit a historic low at the beginning of the pandemic and, despite the Bank of England raising the base rate to try and combat inflation, they currently remain relatively low. People with fixed rate mortgages arranged in the pre-pandemic years have yet to take advantage of these lower rates. With their terms now maturing, there will be an influx of homeowners looking to get more out of their mortgage before interest rates increase further.

Relatedly, so far in 2022 there has been a greater demand for longer-term fixed mortgage products. These increased timescales offer fixed affordability and aid financial planning for a period of five years, 10 years or more.

an 11.7% increase on the corresponding quarter in 2020. As property value increases, the owner increases their equity stake in their home which in turn opens up opportunities.

Equity release was found to be a top reason why people chose to re-mortgage (30%), enabling people to make home improvements from garden developments to extensions and creating a home office.

Builders and other construction workers have been in high demand since the pandemic, causing a delay for some people’s projects which helps to explain why there is an increase in re-mortgaging now.

Others are choosing to use the equity to buy another property as an investment, upsize their current home or downsize to reduce monthly repayments.

Time to spring into action Given the number of clear advantages, re-mortgaging is something which should be at the forefront of homeowners’ minds.

So, it is time to harness that spring vitality and open your mind to the possibilities.

Realising and pursuing property potential Despite the pandemic bringing about global uncertainty, it did not stop people looking for their dream home. The local property market, like many other places, was extremely active, which in turn drove up prices. Guernsey’s average property price soared to highs of £550,893 (as of Q4 2021), Guernsey Property and Construction

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INTERVIEW

INDUSTRY PROFILE:

MORTGAGE ASSOCIATE

NATHAN MACHAN As a mortgage associate at Skipton International Limited, Nathan Machan says his role gives him the joy of telling aspiring homeowners that their dreams can come true. We spoke to him about his career so far, and where he gets his job satisfaction.

W

hen Nathan Machan left school at 16, he headed straight into a job in the finance sector. Working at a high street retail bank for the best part of a decade, he took on roles ranging from a cashier to a customer service adviser before dealing with personal loans.

“That role was the first time I’d dipped my toe into the lending pool and I immediately knew that it was an area that I would enjoy working in. However, I then took some time out to travel and when I came back to Guernsey, I decided to try a different role within trusts and pensions. It didn’t take me too long to decide that retail banking was really where my heart lay.”

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When Nathan saw a recruitment advert from Skipton, his next steps were decided.

“That was five years ago, and I originally applied for a role in the banking team.

Following my interview, the HR team highlighted to me that there was a mortgage administrator role available and encouraged me to apply for that. I did so, and then spent two years on the administration team.

“While I enjoyed that role, when a job came up in Skipton’s sales department I immediately knew it was something I would like to do. The client facing side of sales really appealed to me – I’ve always enjoyed

“IT’S GREAT TO SAY ‘YES’ TO PEOPLE, BUT SOMETIMES IT’S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO SAY ‘NO’. AS A BANK, WE NEVER WANT OUR CLIENTS TO FINANCIALLY OVERSTRETCH THEMSELVES AND FOR THEM TO GET INTO TROUBLE.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022 meeting people and dealing with them, especially face to face.”

Those people skills are something that Nathan uses on a daily basis in the role. As a mortgage associate, a large part of his duties is comprised of appointments with potential clients to find out whether they will meet the bank’s lending requirements.

“Once clients get in touch with Skipton, I always make an appointment to have a proper chat with them. Our service is very personal and we take every aspect of their circumstances into account, so it’s really important I get to know them properly at the start.

“When I speak to potential clients, I run through an affordability assessment. We don’t offer a simple salary multiplier; instead, we look in depth at a client’s situation. I will consider everything from their age to their gross income as well as any other factors that might make a difference to their application, such as bonuses or overtime payments etc.”

they may be able to improve their eligibility.

But while he can tell them what he would do in their situation, sometimes he’s sharing news they don’t want to hear.

“It’s great to say ‘yes’ to people, but sometimes it’s just as important to say ‘no’. As a bank, we never want our clients to financially overstretch themselves and for them to get into trouble. We need to be certain what we’re offering is affordable for the client in their specific circumstances.

But telling people they have passed the affordability assessment and can go out and find their dream home is definitely the highlight of the job.”

When clients find a property within their price range, Nathan’s role then includes completing the full mortgage application and supporting documentation. His organisational skills are called into play to ensure the credit department receives all the information they need.

For Nathan, success in the role takes a combination of experience in knowing what to ask, alongside the soft skills needed to draw out all the necessary information.

Applying for a mortgage is both very personal and very important for most of his clients, so he wants to make sure he gets it right.

“It really helps that we are based in the same location as it speeds up our turnaround times and avoids unnecessary delays. Attention to detail is key in my role as I need to ensure the quality of the applications when I pass them on. Once I have collated everything from identification documents to bank statements and provided them to the underwriter, my part in the process is complete. However, I am always still available to clients if they need any further help.”

“As well as considering money coming in, I also have to take a close look at money going out and any liabilities the client may have. I will ask for their financial commitments so we have an accurate picture of the amount they can genuinely afford to borrow. Somebody may be a very high earner, but if they have equally high outgoings that will certainly affect their affordability assessment.”

While the bank has a lot of UK buy to let mortgages on its books, Nathan specialises in the local residential market. For him, it’s a great fit: “I like the fact there is a real emotional involvement with residential purchases. I can empathise with clients and understand what they’re going through when it comes to the stresses and strains of buying a property.

The experience he has gained means Nathan is now confident he can help clients down the right path for them.

“Whether it’s straightforward first-time buyers, or growing families looking to remortgage, I love the fact that what we offer can change people’s lives.

Buying your own property is such a life goal for people. I remember when I was child, I didn’t want to be a footballer or an astronaut – I wanted to own my own house.

I feel very lucky that my career has led me to where I can help other people do just that.”

“From the outset, I can generally tell whether a mortgage is going to proceed or not and I can give a very accurate idea of the maximum loan amount we can provide.

Everyone’s circumstances are different and I never have any preconceptions of the situation until I have thoroughly discussed it with the client.”

MORTGAGE ASSOCIATE

FACTFILE THE JOB A mortgage associate uses their skills and expertise to establish client affordability and suitability for the available mortgage products. They meet with clients to discuss their circumstances before recommending a product and explaining its features, benefits and risks. The role also often involves selling appropriate insurance products including life cover, income protection and property insurance (although this is not the case for Nathan). Mortgage advisers can be employed by a company or bank such as Skipton, or can be self-employed and charge a fee or receive commission from the lender or insurance company.

THE SKILLS The role is very people focused, so excellent communication skills (both verbal and written) are a must.

Associates and advisers must be honest, trustworthy and ethical as they will be dealing with a great deal of sensitive information. Organisational skills are also key as there is plenty of paperwork required for a mortgage application and applications are often time-sensitive.

THE QUALIFICATIONS In Guernsey, there are no formal qualifications that are required for the role, although employers would generally require at least GCSE level maths and English. There are professional qualifications available and Nathan is currently studying for the Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP), which is industry standard in the UK for anyone who wishes to become a mortgage adviser.

While Nathan’s role does not include giving financial advice, he is able to guide clients through the process and offer tips for how Guernsey Property and Construction

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FEATURE

MORTGAGES: WHAT IT ALL MEANS Taking on a mortgage is often the biggest financial commitment most of us make.

But the jargon around it can be confusing for anyone outside the industry. Here’s our breakdown of what it all means and how it affects you.

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ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

DEPOSITS The deposit you can put down on a property is crucial to how much you’re going to be able to borrow and how much it’s going to cost you – the general rule is the bigger the deposit the better.

Lenders usually require at least 10% of the purchase price of the house be put up as a deposit, although some do require 15%. The larger the deposit you have, the more attractive you will be to lenders.

The ratio between the deposit and the mortgage is known as the loan to value (LTV) ratio. So if you have a 10% deposit, you will have a 90% LTV mortgage. The higher the LTV, the higher the interest rate.

INTEREST RATES The interest rate on your mortgage is the percentage of your existing principal loan balance you pay your lender in exchange for borrowing the money to purchase your property. In Guernsey, it is based on the Bank of England base rate.

FIXED RATE VS TRACKER When taking on a mortgage, you generally have the option of a fixedrate or tracker mortgage. A fixed-rate mortgage means that your payments will stay at the same level until the end date of the fixed-rate period, even if interest rates change. This offers certainty to those who want to budget and know exactly what they will be paying out.

A tracker mortgage is a variable rate mortgage linked to the Bank of England base rate that rises or falls with it. The monthly repayments are therefore dependent on what the base rate is, meaning that if they fall you benefit.

Alternatively, if rates start increasing, you pay more.

Whether to opt for a fixed rate or a tracker mortgage is often dependent on your personal circumstances and any risk you are happy to take on.

MORTGAGE TERM The term of a mortgage is how long you will have it for and be making payments to your lender.

The standard mortgage term is 25 years, but as retirement ages extend longer-term mortgages that run for 30 or more years are increasingly common, with some lenders offering 40 years. The shortest mortgage term is around five years.

Many lenders won’t agree to a term that extends beyond a certain age, so may stipulate a maximum age you can be when your mortgage term will end.

The term you will be offered will also be affected by your financial situation and the affordability of the loan.

MORTGAGE DEAL While a mortgage term is the complete lifespan of the mortgage and the number of years you will be set to make payments to the lender, a mortgage deal is the rate of interest you pay for a certain period of time.

When they take on a mortgage, borrowers often have a fixed rate over two or five years. When that ends they move onto another deal or the lender’s standard variable rate.

INTEREST VS CAPITAL AND INTEREST Mortgages can be either repayment mortgages or interest-only. With a repayment mortgage, over the length of the term you pay back the money you’ve borrowed plus the interest charged on it, and any other fees added to the mortgage. The balance will get smaller with each payment made and at the end of the term there will be no outstanding debt.

With an interest-only mortgage, you only pay the interest charged on your original loan. At the end of the term, you will need to pay back the full amount that you initially borrowed. Lenders therefore advise that you have a plan in place for how you are going to do that.

PARTIAL OWNERSHIP Guernsey does have partial ownership opportunities available (through the Guernsey Housing Association for those first-time buyers who can’t afford to buy a property in the normal housing market but can afford to buy part of a property.

With partial ownership, you purchase the maximum you can afford (between 40% and 80% of the property) and then pay a discounted rent on the remainder.

You can increase your ownership of the property at a later date, and if you want to move on from the property the GHA guarantees that they will buy it back.

100% mortgages are available on partial ownership properties and there are no duty or court fees payable.

TAX RELIEF While tax relief is being phased out in Guernsey, it is still available until 2025.

Interest paid on a mortgage on your principal residence in the island can be deducted against your income. It’s limited to the interest charged on the first £400,000 of the mortgage and the maximum amount that can be claimed is being reduced each year.

For 2021, the maximum amount that can be claimed is £5,000 for an individual (£10,000 for a married couple); this year that will reduce to £3,500 for an individual (£7,000 for a married couple).

BONDS A Guernsey-specific aspect of mortgages, security is generally taken over real property in Guernsey by means of a bond which must be registered with the Greffe. The bond value matches the amount borrowed from the bank and will remain in place until the mortgage with that lender is repaid.

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Fee Free Mortgage * Save £1,499

For a limited time only you can save £1,499* on your new mortgage with Skipton International. We have waived our application fee on our attractive fixed and variable rate mortgages. Find out how much you can borrow with our online calculator, giving you an instant approval in principal. Make your dream home a reality.

call us

01481 730730

or visit

skiptoninternational.com *Limited time offer. Clients to pay cost of valuation. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. Minimum age 18 years. All mortgages are subject to status and valuation. Skipton requires first Bond on the property as security. Skipton is licensed by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. To help maintain service and quality, telephone calls may be recorded and monitored.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

The impact of interest rates Love them or loathe them, interest rates affect us all.

Aaron Walden, Skipton’s senior commercial manager, has a brief rundown on how interest rates changes can impact your mortgage repayments and savings.

The Bank of England base rate is the UK’s most influential interest rate and its official borrowing rate. The base rate reflects what banks charge people to borrow money or pay on their savings and is used to keep inflation low (and stable).

When interest rates rise, it can make borrowing more expensive – which includes mortgages for homeowners - but it can also give savers, many of whom have seen rates at record lows, a better return. Over the past few years the economy has needed the base rate to remain low.

THE GOVERNMENT SETS A TARGET TO HELP EVERYONE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. HIGH INFLATION MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR BUSINESSES TO SET THE RIGHT PRICES, AND IF INFLATION IS TOO LOW, PEOPLE MAY BE PUT OFF SPENDING.

As well as mortgages, Bank of England interest rates also influences the interest charged on other forms of credit, such as credit cards and car loans. So even if you don’t have a mortgage, changes in interest rates could still have an impact on your finances.

Some mortgages - called “trackers” - are directly linked to the Bank of England’s base rate and will change in line with any increases or decreases.

on their savings. If rates fall, it’s cheaper for households and businesses to borrow. Lower rates tend to increase spending, therefore if the MPC believes people are spending too little, the base rate may be reduced to encourage people to spend more on goods and services.

What is the inflation target?

Inflation is a measure of how the price of goods and services have gone up over time, normally over a one-year period.

The Bank of England will raise or lower interest rates to help maintain the Government’s 2% inflation target.

The Government sets a target to help everyone plan for the future. High inflation makes it difficult for businesses to set the right prices, and if inflation is too low, people may be put off spending.

How have interest rates changed recently?

How does the Bank of England set interest rates?

Since the global financial crisis of 2008, the Bank of England has kept the base rate low.

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is responsible for making decisions about the base rate. The MPC is made up of nine senior bank officials and economists, with each member having expertise in the field of economics and monetary policy.

This has meant those with mortgages have seen borrowing costs much lower than they may have expected.

The MPC meets eight times a year - roughly once every six weeks - to consider data on how the economy is performing, with its decision always published at 12:00 on a Thursday.

What do interest rate changes mean for the economy?

When the base rate goes up, it is intended to encourage banks to put up the interest rates they charge individuals and businesses. Increasing the base rate is used to reduce spending and generally means people receive a better return

In 2016, it further cut the base rate when the economy faced uncertainty following the referendum vote to leave the EU. In 2020, it cut interest rates to its lowest ever level of 0.10% as the coronavirus pandemic caused further uncertainty. The base rate has however had two increases recently; + 0.15% in December 2021 and + 0.25% in February 2022.

At the time of writing the base rate is 0.50%.

The latest figures show the UK’s cost of living (inflation) surged by 5.4% in the 12 months to December 2021. The Bank of England has therefore increased the base rate to reduce spending, to try and reduce inflation to its 2% target.

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AWARDS

GUERNSEY DESIGN AWARDS 2022 The shortlist for the Guernsey Design Awards 2022 has been announced.

The bi-annual awards, which recognise outstanding design in our built environment, attracted entries that represent a broad spectrum of building projects.

Forest Farm

For the judges, it was a difficult job whittling down the entries to the selection that have made the shortlist.

Steve Powell, of main sponsor Norman Piette, said: “The judging panel is made up of representatives from a variety of disciplines within the architectural and building industries and, though we have guidelines of what to look for in a project and how it matches the brief, we all have very different perspectives.

“Whilst this ensures that entries benefit from the broadest, and fairest range of opinions, it also means that reaching agreement isn’t easy, particularly when the standard of entries was so high. However, we now have a shortlist of 15 projects that demonstrate how well local architects rise to the challenge regardless of the size or budget of the build.”

Shuruuq

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ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022 In addition to the awards for the five categories there will be ‘The People’s Choice’ award which is voted for by the public. Voting for that category is now open and islanders can visit the website to view all of the shortlisted entries and pick their favourite.

A new award will also be presented this year, dedicated to the memory of Mitch Sneddon. An integral part of the awards since their inception, the former president of the Guernsey Society of Architects sadly passed away in December 2021.

Full details of all the entries can be seen at: www.guernseydesignawards.com Japanese Fishing Pavilion

CATEGORIES Small Projects (up to £250k) DLM Architects - Shed Quarters JGA - JGA Design Studio Paul Langlois Architects - Crevichon

Single Residential Renovation/Extension CCD Architects - La Ronde Cheminée Paul Langlois Architects - Forest Farm StudiO - Field View

Residential New Build Lovell Ozanne - Shuruuq Tyrrell Dowinton Associates - La Mare Lovell Ozanne - La Petite Carriere

Heritage CCD Architects - Le Vallon Farm DLM Architects - The Cottage PF&A - Japanese Fishing Pavilion

Commercial Axis Mason - Windsor House DLM Architects - Oak StudiO - Red

THE PRESENTATION EVENING Due to Covid restrictions, the 2020 ceremony was held virtually via a Facebook stream. Organisers are therefore delighted that the 2022 event will return to an inperson celebration of the island’s talent.

Date: Friday 25 March 2022 Time: 18.00 Venue: Princess Royal Centre for Performing Arts Admission is free and anyone wishing to attend can register for tickets on the website.

JGA Design Studio

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FEATURE

EBENEZER CHURCH Almost 30 years after the last service was held at Ebenezer Church, the former Methodist church is finally getting a new lease of life. Work is underway to restore the dilapidated building and create 17 new apartments on the site.

When Ebenezer Church closed its doors to its congregation in 1993, nobody thought that it would take almost three decades to find another use for the building. Architect Andy Merrett of Lovell Ozanne has been involved with the site for many years, but it took him working on another project to realise how it could move forward: “I have worked with several clients on Ebenezer Church and although we have had various approvals for developments nothing quite worked. However, when I was commissioned to work on the development of Grange Mews, the former Ford site, we identified as part of the planning process that joining the Ebenezer site and the Ford site with one-way road access would bring benefits to both.”

It’s that project which is now underway. Building work started on the site last summer to create 17 apartments in the old church building and a newly built extension to its rear.

The church itself was listed in 1994 so there will be little change made to the appearance of the original building. However, the old 1930s hall at the back of the church has been demolished and will be replaced with a three-storey extension to the rear of the main building.

Architecturally, it’s a balancing act between protecting the historical interest while ensuring it is functional for its new residents.

For Andy, the juxtaposition between old and new was key to the design: “The old building has informed the design for the new, but it is important that we ensure the new building clearly looks like a modern addition. We certainly wouldn’t want to try to copy the old building as that never works well from an architectural perspective. However, the new addition does pick up some of the detailing

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of the old while the use of stone will also tie it back in to the church structure. Importantly, the proportions will really tie it together and ensure it looks as one while having a clear distinction between old and new.”

Architect Julian Hurley is working with Andy on the project. He has had experience with similar schemes in the UK so has brought that knowledge to the Ebenezer development.

For him, it’s important to respect the existing building while ensuring it is fit for modern usage: “It’s certainly a very interesting project to work on. When you see the way it was constructed, using traditional methods, you really appreciate the work that went into it.

We have to be very cautious that our interventions don’t destroy what is there and there are quite a few technical challenges associated with that.

“The very large original windows, for example, need to be retained so we have to work around those while mitigating heat loss and preventing moisture from entering the property. We are also having to divide the building up around features such as the cast iron pillars that support the roof trusses from the ground. Our client, however, is keen that the residents of the building are able to appreciate the historic features of the former church and so we intend to draw attention to those aspects as far as possible.”

Work started on the site last August and did face some Covid-related delays last year.

However, with the project now progressing well, it is expected to complete early next year.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

COMMENT

Building a sustainable future Caroline Gumble, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), considers the importance of sustainability for the industry.

This year is off to a more promising start than 2021, at least in terms of being able to meet face-to-face again. One of the headline face-toface events being hosted by CIOB in the Channel Islands will take place in June, with Professor AbuBakr Bahaj of the University of Southampton leading a workshop on “People, Cities and Sustainability.” The aim of the event is to provide an understanding of what sustainability really means in the context of the built environment and what actions are needed to drive it forward.

SUSTAINABILITY IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, A CURRENT ISSUE AND ONE WHICH WILL FEATURE AS A PRIORITY ISSUE – UP THERE WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY AND QUALITY – FOR YEARS TO COME.

It is fitting and timely as a topic for a CIOB event, not least because we are now in a post-COP 26 world, where commitments to net zero are being turned into plans of action. Sustainability is a huge issue for the built environment, a current issue and one which will feature as a priority issue – up there with health and safety and quality – for years to come. It will be at the heart of CIOB’s next corporate plan and is already something which informs much of our work.

For several years, we have worked across the industry to help make the case for greener construction policies and practices; I believe collaboration across the sector is the most impactful way to make a meaningful contribution to our industry and society. CIOB is a member of the Construction Industry Council’s Climate Change Committee, which is coordinating the efforts of sector professional institutes to meet the emissions target set out in the Climate Change Act 2008. CIOB has also supported the RICS Carbon Database Steering Group, set up to oversee work to develop a database for use by all built environment professional institutes. We are also part of the Construction Leadership Council’s Domestic RMI (repair, maintenance and improvement) working group, which is developing recommendations for a national retrofit strategy.

We are also likely to have something on sustainability up our sleeves for our awards event later this year…

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CIOB Awards You may remember the theme of my last column in this magazine – I talked about celebrating the industry and the achievements of those working in it, acknowledging that the last two years have seen us all face some of the most challenging circumstances. Of course, I was also delighted to report that the Channel Islands had particular reason to celebrate, with congratulations to Jersey-based Marc Burton MBE FCIOB of the Garenne Group, who took home our 2021 Construction Manager of the Year trophy.

It’s that time again. The CIOB Awards, including the long-established Construction Manager of the Year (CMYA), are open once again and CIOB would like your nominations. Entries are free and open to members and non-members.

Nominations for the CMYA category will close soon and the other categories will be closing later in the Spring. Can the Channel Islands claim one of the trophies this year? Have a look at ciob. awards.org for more information – and look out for a couple of new award categories we’ll be launching for 2022.

CIOB in the Channel Islands As ever, if you would like to find out more about events being organised by our South UK Hub, do feel free join our LinkedIn group “CIOB in South UK” or check out the events section of the CIOB website.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

The price of things to come John Bampkin, chair of the Guernsey Construction Forum and chief executive of the Norman Piette Group, considers the cost of Covid.

So the terms ‘lockdown’ and ‘isolation’ are now hopefully behind us for a while as we look forward to spring and summer in the Channel Islands as 2022 moves along apace.

THE COMBINATION OF REAL-LIFE LOGISTICS, FACTORY SHUTDOWNS AND A SOCIAL MEDIA RUMOUR MILL RESULTED IN THE MOST DIFFICULT YEAR IN MY 40-YEAR CAREER IN THE SUPPLY OF BUILDING MATERIALS TO THE TRADE AND PUBLIC ALIKE.

It’s fascinating to live in an age where, due to the power of social media and the internet, everyone is an expert on just about everything. The ability to access virtually every known fact known to man from a handheld device was unfathomable only 20 years ago, yet that is the reality of technology today. It is such an indescribable shame then that most of the world’s population use it to update strangers about their pets and eating habits!

That same technology and weight of opinion and the lightning spread of knowledge is like a tidal wave that affects us all in so many ways. It actually drives our culture, which in terms drives our beliefs and our behaviours. This can be seen in what we describe as ‘panic-buying’ which can be the result of just one falsely placed rumour … a very scary thought.

So how does all of this apply to the property and construction industry in Guernsey?

Well, massively actually …

Look at the supermarkets and how quickly they were stripped bare of certain products within days of the pandemic arriving on these shores. I can also give numerous examples of construction products that became like gold dust to contractors overnight when there was only the slightest hint of a supply problem. This only exasperated the perceived problem which then became a real problem and a runaway train that was irreversible.

The combination of real-life logistics, factory shutdowns and a social media rumour mill resulted in the most difficult year in my 40-year career in the supply of building materials to the trade and public alike. The upshot of all this was, unsurprisingly, rising prices. The price rises were at an extent and at a pace such as I had never seen before.

At Norman Piette I had to employ extra staff just to make sure that we were able to source our everyday products that in a normal world just turn up thanks to the power of computers. I also had to employ dedicated people simply to keep abreast of the almost daily changing prices for goods that usually only increase once or maybe twice a year. This was a huge task when you bear in mind that we stock 20,000 product lines at Bulwer Avenue alone.

That was all driven by the number one force of economics – supply and demand.

So, what about 2022?

Well, I’m pleased to say that supply has mostly caught up with demand which means that the price increases are generally much lower than those in 2021, although they are still there. On top of material increases a shortage of housing and skilled labour will keep construction rates high for the foreseeable future. We have inflation at levels not seen in a generation and this will only put more pressure on the economic recovery that is needed post-Covid.

I believe we will see a re-balancing of inflation, wages, tax levels and ultimately people’s discretionary spend. This will probably happen over the next two to three years and it’s something we will have to adjust to. So, my advice is to think carefully where you place your bets for the foreseeable future. The only thing I am certain of is that investment and improvements in property and infrastructure very rarely fail and always provide a payback either fiscally or socially. Regardless of what happens around the world property always pays us back!

This viewpoint was written just before the invasion of Ukraine and it shows how quickly the world moves these days. Although I refer to supply issues settling down they will obviously now be further impacted by rising fuel and energy prices across the globe. We will have to see the extent of these increases and what it means to the cost and supply of construction materials and everything else we consume.

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COMMENT

Asbestos and legionella Andrew Mills, chair of the Guernsey Occupational Safety & Health Association, discusses the risks around two well-known dangers.

The topics of this article may not initially inspire many people but they should certainly make everyone take note.

Asbestos is Guernsey’s biggest workplace killer and legionella is not only present in all our tap water but it is also responsible for causing harm to people in our island.

DOING THINGS PROPERLY, MAKES YOURS A BETTER BUSINESS. CARING FOR EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS ARE GOOD THINGS TO DO; IF YOU ARE NOT CONVINCED, SPEAK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVEN’T BEEN PROACTIVE

Asbestos is a great fire protective substance, but it can also create huge health issues if it is disturbed. If you are diagnosed with asbestosis or mesothelioma then you have months to live and a distressing death ahead, not only for the sufferer but also for those relatives and friends who care so much for you.

Asbestos often takes many years to overwhelm your body (eight to 40 years is the period often suggested) and the problems begin when you breathe in fibres. They are so small that you don’t see them and a standard vacuum cleaner only puts fibres into the atmosphere – they are too small to be caught by normal filters, which make them even more dangerous to human life.

And they are present in most Guernsey buildings, built and altered before it was banned in 1999.

There is an Asbestos Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) in Guernsey and if you own, occupy or manage buildings, maintain, construct or demolish them, you need to know about it and respect its provisions – it is there to protect you, those who may be affected by your work, current and future building users – in fact, everyone in Guernsey. Visit www.gov.gg/ asbestos for more information.

There is also a Legionella ACoP. It also provides good guidance on what needs to be done to protect us all in Guernsey. As is explained on www.gov.gg/legionella : “droplets released by water systems such as cooling towers, showers, taps, Jacuzzi and whirlpool spas can be inhaled and cause serious pneumonia-like illness following exposure. Specific controls are required in Guernsey.”

The requirements of the legionella ACoP are: • Survey, identify and assess the sources of legionella; • Prepare a scheme (or course of action) for preventing or controlling the risk; • Implement and manage the scheme appointing a competent person to be managerially responsible, sometimes referred to at the ‘Responsible Person’; • To provide training for persons with delegated responsibilities; • Implement a system for sampling to ascertain biological activity and biocide concentration and keep records of the results; and • Monitor and keep records of water temperature in various parts of the system.

These are good principles to follow for any activity which requires management, of course.

The consequences of not following good practices are severe in Guernsey. Not only can you suffer significant fines and disruption to your business, your reputation for doing things well, efficiently and effectively can be ruined – and the financial consequences of a damaged reputation can be significant.

So, I hope you haven’t passed over this short article. Doing things properly, makes yours a better business. Caring for employees and others are good things to do; if you are not convinced, speak to people who haven’t been proactive and haven’t been cautious or caring in the past and have been caught out.

Failure to implement good health and safety practices, enshrined in our laws, has serious consequences. Be one of those who protects people and does things well. Take legionella and asbestos seriously.

As I have stated in the past: a serious workplace accident or illness can put you out of business and it can wreck lives.

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ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

Diversity in projects Scott Crittell, a Chartered Fellow of the Association for Project Management, shares his thoughts on the importance of diversity in project teams.

I should start by acknowledging that this is both an important and emotive subject. Also, that as a white male, many may justifiably say I have no real understanding of it. In any case, I have decided to try and add some thoughts relating to diversity as it may intersect with projects.

IF A COMPANY BOARD INCLUDES A RANGE OF AGES, THIS IN TURN ENABLES IT TO BENEFIT FROM A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES AND DIFFERENT GENERATIONAL VIEWS WHICH PROVIDE DIFFERING WAYS OF LOOKING AT STRATEGIES OR BUSINESS GOALS.

Diversity is a multi-layered subject and has many challenges that surround it, but as the key themes of the Chartered Body for Project Management (APM) in 2022 are sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and leadership, it seemed timely to include some personal thinking.

I have worked with many project teams across my career, and I have always found that the wider and more diverse the team, the more diverse the input that is available to the project lead. In short, the more diverse the team mix, the more ways of looking at risks or issues that are a normal part of a project lifecycle, consequently the more solutions that will be presented to overcome difficulties and ensure a successful outcome.

As such, project leads are now understanding that a diverse team make-up should relate to a greater degree of project success and happier project stakeholders.

Similarly, if a company board includes a range of ages, this in turn enables it to benefit from a variety of experiences and different generational views which provide differing ways of looking at strategies or business goals.

Thereby resulting in projects that may vary in their aims to past normality.

The APM is keen to encourage diversity in many ways such as the Women in Project Management Conference. Presently, the female membership is 27% of the almost 38,000 members and that percentage will hopefully increase year on year. Project management has one advantage as a diverse friendly career as it’s only just starting to be acknowledged in

its own space and so it carries fewer outdated preconceptions with it. Project management is both the oldest and newest profession!

Education is often a route to solving problems and in project management terms this may also be true. The APM works interactively with many universities and offers free membership to all student members, aged over 16. This helps the future working generation to use its educational accomplishments, including in project management studies, to fuel a better career path in the profession. A profession that may enable them to take roles across industries and the globe, thereby resulting in the encouragement of more diversification.

The ability to now qualify as a Chartered Project Manager has already been a springboard for those working in projects across continents.

The list of countries around the world where Charter qualified staff are now found is a lengthening list and should in turn encourage others in those locations to look at project management as a worthwhile career. This will add greater diversification to the background of those working in project management and some may then use this qualification passport to enhance their career and move to take positions in new countries. As such, more diversity will be achieved in the profession and across countries.

The APM has also recently published the 3rd edition of its Competency Framework, which now includes a specific Competency entitled “Diversity and Inclusion”, which seeks to inform all members as to the value of difference and the enabling factors of creating a positive working environment to foster a fair workplace for all staff.

It is by embracing diversity and inclusion in all its forms that will lead to collaborative working environments which will help to foster successful future outcomes for business projects.

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COMMENT

Maintaining safety Mark Baudains of the BTS Storage Centre provides an overview of the increased regulation and best practice required to maintain your storage and racking equipment.

Across all sectors Health & Safety standards are evolving and improving every day. They are interwoven into the fabric of any activity being undertaken in the workplace.

It raises the question then, as to why all businesses operating within high-risk warehouse environments such as storage, wholesale and distribution, don’t treat their storage equipment in the same way?

A COMMON MISCONCEPTION IS THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO INSPECT, MAINTAIN, AND REPAIR THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT.

In 2020/21 HSE reported 25% of fatalities were caused by something collapsing or overturning, including objects flying or falling within the transportation & storage sectors, and in almost every warehouse facility you will find some form of shelving, racking or other storage equipment.

A common misconception is that you do not need to inspect, maintain, and repair this type of equipment. However, as storage equipment falls under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) there is a legal obligation placed upon businesses, property owners, agents and directors to ensure that they are.

It is also recommended that they be maintained and repaired by companies providing competent, trained technicians, ideally accredited by The Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA). SEMA is the UK-wide industry partner and point of reference on storage safety for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), local authorities and The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). They run a programme of installation training under SEIRS (Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme).

To find out more, the best place to start with is the HSE guide - HSG76 Warehousing and Storage: A Guide to Health and Safety. This offers some great advice and is a must read for anyone responsible for, or working in and around, storage equipment. It can be found online at www.hse.gov.uk

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Key provisions that all companies should have in place include: 1. Appoint and educate an in-house Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS) 2. Ensure those using the equipment understand the limitations and safe working practices 3. Undertake and record regular in house checks 4. Appoint a SEMA Approved Company to manage your storage equipment maintenance programme 5. NEVER move or adjust any storage equipment yourself This will be news to some, but the increased awareness and regulation of this type of equipment boils down to the world we live in.

Higher volumes of products and materials are being stored and distributed around the world, which has in turn increased accidents, highlighted bad practices, and increased the overall potential risk.

This may all seem like a lot of extra work or a little daunting but it really isn’t. There are businesses locally that can help and by following Health & Safety guidance you will not only maintain the highest safety standards for your staff and customers, but you’ll also find that it has helped to protect your assets whilst improving the efficiency of your working practices at the same time, well worth the investment.

For further information or to find your nearest SEMA Approved Company please visit the SEMA website www.sema.org.uk

OBITUARY

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

Mitchell (Mitch) Sneddon 1971 - 2021 The Guernsey Society of Architects pays tribute to its former president, Mitch Sneddon, following his death at the end of 2021.

Our dear friend and colleague, Mitchell (Mitch) Sneddon, passed away suddenly at home on 5 December 2021, aged 50.

Mitch was married to Tammy, with whom he had two children, Zoe and Finlay.

Developing a passion for architecture and building at an early age, Mitch followed his childhood dream and graduated with Honours with a BA (Architecture) from Canterbury School of Architecture, worked with Faith Architects for one year, then received his Diploma in Architecture (also from Canterbury) and joined Clyde Design Partnership in Glasgow, where he passed his Part 3 exams and finally achieved his goal of becoming an architect.

Mitch stayed at Clyde Design for seven years before moving to Thomas Robinson Architects in 2002, then to Guernsey, Tammy’s home, in 2003.

Mitch became a director of Dunnell Robertson Partnership in 2015, where he continued to manage the architectural team until his death.

During a career cut tragically short, Mitch worked on a wide variety of projects that included social housing, private residential, commercial offices and historic buildings.

Mitch was never happier than when given a problem to solve, and loved the challenge of finding practical, buildable solutions to complex details.

Since his arrival in Guernsey in 2003, Mitch was a stalwart member of the Guernsey Society of Architects, taking on the role of secretary to numerous presidents before being voted by members into the presidential seat in December 2018.

Mitch’s energy and dedication to the Society will be sorely missed, as will his constant friendship.

Mitch also volunteered in the community with the Rocquaine Regatta and the Beaver Scouts, and was instrumental with others in local industry in both setting up and organising the bi-annual Guernsey Design Awards.

A celebration of Mitch’s life was held on 14 January 2022 and was well attended by many in the local construction community in addition to a wide range of family and friends, a testament to the respect and kindness our community felt for him.

Those wishing to contact the Guernsey Society of Architects should direct correspondence to the treasurer, Oliver Brock, at ollybrock@hotmail.co.uk, in the first instance.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Superior force or developer’s remorse?

Jonathan Anderson Counsel, Ogier

With seemingly ever-increasing costs of goods and materials, contractors and developers alike continue to feel the squeeze. Pressure on costs can only be compounded by difficulties in securing delivery of goods and materials within a reasonable timeframe and indeed on time. Against a wider context of a challenging macro-economic environment, not to mention pandemic related pressures, meeting pre-agreed development milestones is a growing challenge. But where does this leave contractors and developers who have committed to delivering a particular project on time?

Force majeure and extension of time

amended to ensure they comply with local law.

Contractual provisions for justifiable delay or “force majeure” (French for “superior force”) have long been a feature of the construction industry. They are typically agreed on relatively standard terms with those parties responsible for the timely delivery of a new development project. Such provisions represent crucial contractual protections for contractors and developers where circumstances arise that are out of their control to delay completion of the project, and where such issues could not have been reasonably foreseen. Where justifiable delay, or force majeure, can be established in accordance with the provisions of the contract the party with the obligation to deliver the project on time may be entitled to an award of what is referred to as an “extension of time”.

By design, these contracts impose on the parties a set of obligations that have become accepted over time. While parties may have been comfortable in adopting the use of the standard JCT provisions in the past, the suite of JCT contracts are not updated all that regularly so depending on the particular project, it may no longer be prudent to simply rely on those provisions in light of the increasing pressures referred to above.

An award of an extension of time will award the responsible party time to postpone the date of completion of the project. The time awarded is commensurate with the delay that has been suffered by the relevant justifiable delay or force majeure event.

JCT contracts Construction agreements in the Channel Islands are typically based on one of the “JCT” suite of standard-form contracts.

These are intended as standard form contracts designed to reflect industry standards and best practice in the UK. To enable these contracts to be construed and enforced under Guernsey or Jersey law (as the case may be) they are typically

“Relevant events” Provisions that may require particular attention include those that relate to extension of time and delays caused by a ‘relevant event’. A relevant event is an event, on or off site, that causes a delay to the completion date of the project. It might include something that takes place in the design and manufacture process to delay things, or an event that impacts the site that prolongs completion of the project. Given the pressures highlighted above, it has become more important for parties to pay particular attention to terms around what constitutes a relevant event, justifiable delay or force majeure and there is the potential to expand the definition so that it captures additional matters that may not have been anticipated when the standard-form contract was prepared.

What could or could not have been reasonably foreseen requires an element of subjective assessment, so how do those with obligations to deliver a project on time ensure that they have protected

themselves from exposure to delay damages? The principal way to achieve this is to ensure that the contract is clear, precise and unambiguous when it comes to defining what constitutes a justifiable delay, force majeure, or “relevant event”.

Where a developer employs a contractor to complete various development works it is important to ensure that what may constitute a justifiable delay under the construction contract is replicated in any agreements made by developers with onward purchasers of new units within any such development. Without these obligations “flowing through” the developer could be exposed to delay damages for late delivery of the unit to the purchaser but not have a “back to back” entitlement to delay damages from the contractor under the building contract.

We regularly advise contractors and developers on matters pertaining to local development projects and are more than happy to provide advice to ensure that contracts are fit for purpose in the current challenging environment.

Jonathan is counsel within Ogier’s Local Legal Services team. Jonathan advises on all aspects of commercial and residential property, to include conveyancing, leasing, development and property finance.

Jonathan Anderson

Counsel, Ogier

T +44 1534 514162 E jonathan.anderson@ogier.com

TECHNOLOGY For an industry as old as time, construction is often at the forefront of advances in technology. From virtual reality to harnessing renewable energy, find out how technology can benefit everyone.

FEATURE

THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION

With technology taking over more of our lives in every area, it’s no surprise that it’s doing the same in the construction industry. Across the world, researchers and developers are coming up with a myriad of new ways to make the industry safer and more efficient. While we might not see all of these developments in Guernsey any time soon, this is the potential future of construction.

Virtual & Augmented Reality

Wearable Tech

Exoskeletons

Virtual reality (VR) has potential benefits for the construction industry in a number of ways, including training, safety, structure walkthroughs and plan reviews. It is already commonly used by architects to give clients an accurate representation of how their plans will become reality.

From smart hard hats to boots, there are lots of ways wearable tech can be useful on construction sites. Common items such as hard hats, gloves, safety vests and boots are having wearable tech embedded into them.

They might appear like something out of a sci fi film, but exoskeletons have a genuine part to play in the future of construction.

Wearable devices that work in tandem with the user, they allow site workers to achieve more than they could unaided.

The tech can vary from biometric sensors to track an individual’s heart rate, body temperature and vital signs to GPS and location trackers. Sensors can also monitor workers’ movements, repetitive motions, posture and slips and falls.

The technology helps reduce injury by minimising the stress and strain on the user’s body. Additionally, research shows users become more productive as they tire less when using the technology.

However, VR can also be a real help when it comes to training and safety. Workers can experience what they can expect in the field within a controlled environment where they are kept safe as they learn. It can also help experienced equipment operators on site run through simulations which would be too dangerous to attempt to replicate in reality, such as natural disasters.

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Artificial Intelligence With health and safety always a hot issue in construction, wearable tech offers managers an effective way of monitoring their workers and ensuring they stay safe on site.

The potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to benefit construction is almost limitless.

It can speed up planning and make entire operations faster and more efficient by using data to predict outcomes and improve productivity.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

AI is already being used to monitor workers and identify safety hazards or missing PPE, and to alert them before an accident occurs. Elsewhere, project planning and scheduling is a real focus of those developing AI in the industry – as it enables a project to be simulated millions of times in just minutes. With that information it can then suggest the ideal schedule to maximise efficiency and productivity.

Bim Software Building information modelling (BIM) combines AR and Internet of Things technologies to generate a smart option for management and workflow planning tools. It incorporates digital representations of the physical and functional aspects of a building to lead to better collaboration.

Performing site work like this from a distance reduces health and safety risks and injuries to other workers.

3D Printing With the uses of 3D printing seemingly never-ending, it’s unsurprising that it’s playing a part in construction as well. The latest breakthrough is 3D printed houses, which can now be printed more quickly and cheaply than the traditional method.

The first 3D printed home sold for less than $10,000 in the USA, and work is underway to develop this sector of the industry even further.

Two types of robots are being developed.

One is humanoid labourer robots, which are capable of performing basic physical tasks such as installing drywall independently.

Robot swarms, on the other hand, consist of hundreds of small individual robots that work in tandem with each other to perform regular mundane site tasks such as laying bricks. There is the potential for swarms like this to make the industry much safer, as they can easily access hard-to-reach dangerous areas.

Drones Drones can be used for site safety as they can monitor sites. Their cameras can give construction managers a quick view of a site without being physically present, and they can help identify any danger areas.

Construction managers can use it to generate intelligent 3D models of their projects as well as the associated workflows. As well as its planning capabilities, BIM helps with cost estimates as it can generate exact quantities of all building materials and components needed on a project.

Robots

Drones can also be used to deliver materials to sites, reducing the number of vehicles required.

Despite using intensive manual labour as a primary source of productivity, construction has seen little use of robots up until now.

The main issue has been the fact robots need a controlled environment and repetitive tasks, while a construction site is frequently changing.

Lidar Technology Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology is a remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure the exact distance of an object on the earth’s surface. In construction, a sensor can be mounted on site equipment to give workers the ability the scan the surrounding worksite and produce high-resolution 3D images.

As construction sites become smarter, there is more potential for robots to be used. Areas such as bricklaying and masonry are seeing advances in the ways robots can be used to increase the speed and quality of the work. There are also examples of demolition robots being used to demolish structural components at the end of a project.

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ENVIRONMENTAL ENERGY With rising energy prices hitting the headlines and cost of living increases expected across the board, now may be the time for some people to look at more renewable sources of energy.

A number of local companies offer the opportunity for domestic homeowners to produce some of their own energy, and the panels are becoming a more common sight on roofs around the island.

combination of glycol and antifreeze. Once they have absorbed the heat of the sun, the hot liquid is transported to a copper coil which in turns warms the hot water tank or cylinder, ready for use.

While ‘solar panels’ is often used as a generic term to describe the systems, there are in fact two distinct types of solar panels, which serve very different functions.

Solar thermal energy storage is kept as efficient as possible via the use of a pump which moves the liquid through the system in order to prevent the liquid from cooling down the water in the tank on cold days.

Solar thermal panels produce heat, while solar photovoltaic (PV) panels produce electricity.

Domestic solar panels are generally installed on roofs, since that usually provides the ideal space to capture and absorb as much sun as possible, and they can link directly in to the home.

Very recognisable, solar PV panels are rectangular sheets which appear similar to black glass. They are made from two layers of a semi-conducting material and silicone and they produce an electric field when exposed to sunlight.

When the voltage of electricity is created, the direct current (DC) travels to an inverter, which transforms it to AC (alternating current), which is then diverted to your fuse box and on to appliances around the house.

Generally, if it is not needed at the time, it is re-routed back to the grid, although some homeowners use battery storage to retain and call upon the energy when required.

Solar PV panels can provide homes with up to 60% clean renewable energy and can last for decades. However, they are an expensive initial outlay which will take time to recoup your investment.

Solar thermal panels are installed with the sole purpose of providing hot water. The panels are comprised of tubes filled with a

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A key advantage of solar thermal panels is their simple design, which means low maintenance and repair costs. Solar thermal heating panels don’t take up as much space as PV panels as they are generally more efficient, while a solar thermal hot water system is very efficient. Crucially, it’s very easy to store the generated energy because any domestic thermal system will have a water tank to store the heat.

Many households therefore look to install a mixture of solar thermal panels and PV panels to maximise their ability to produce green energy.

Island Energy To date, Guernsey Electricity has put its focus on installing large scale solar arrays rather than subsidising domestic projects, as it believes that is how every islander can use and benefit from locally generated renewable energy. Its recent projects mean that solar panels feed more than 350kW of renewable energy into the grid.

Amongst its installations are 309 roof mounted solar panels at Electricity House, Northside and 654 panels on the roof of the Guernsey Post Headquarters. One of the largest solar photovoltaic systems in the Channel Islands, the Envoy House panels produce more than 200,000kWh each year.

Elsewhere, there are panels on the roof of Guernsey Waste buildings at Longue Hougue and the KGV sports centre – and Guernsey Electricity says it is always looking for suitable projects to partner with to increase the on-island generation even further. Its goal is to reach a total installed capacity of up to 20MW by 2050.

The Other Options While solar and PV panels are the obvious choice for homes and businesses, the island could look to expand its options further on a macro level. A number of renewable options are on the table – using our unique location to harness the natural energy of the waves and wind.

However, while these are exciting options for the future, most are at an early stage of development and Guernsey is not expecting to utilise or benefit from them for a number of years.

Tidal current devices: these extract energy from the flow of water, and often take the form of propellers or oscillating vanes fixed to a structure that is mounted on the seabed.

Wave energy devices: these take energy from waves. There are a number of types of device including buoy-type point absorber devices and near-shore or shallow water devices.

Offshore wind: Guernsey has a significant wind energy resource and although areas of suitably shallow water off the west coast are limited, there is sufficient area for small scale development. While there is mature technology for monopole turbines, the technology for floating turbines is also being developed, which could potentially be deployed off the island’s west coast.

ISSUE 9 SPRING 2022

TO DATE, GUERNSEY ELECTRICITY HAS PUT ITS FOCUS ON INSTALLING LARGE SCALE SOLAR ARRAYS RATHER THAN SUBSIDISING DOMESTIC PROJECTS, AS IT BELIEVES THAT IS HOW EVERY ISLANDER CAN USE AND BENEFIT FROM LOCALLY GENERATED RENEWABLE ENERGY.

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GET SMART As the Internet of Things becomes ever more widespread, there are more and more ways to use technology in your home. From those that make your life easier, to those that benefit the environment, here’s our round-up of the best home tech.

SMART THERMOSTATS With energy bills on the rise, many people are looking to cut back on their usage, and a smart thermostat can be a great way to do it. You can control your home’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning via your laptop or smartphone from wherever you are.

SMART LIGHT BULBS A smart bulb is an internet-capable LED light bulb that allows lighting to be customised, scheduled and controlled remotely. You control them wirelessly via a remote, or even an app on your phone, from wherever you are in the house. You can even set up different combinations of lights that differ based on the time of day.

While an initial investment is necessary as the bulbs are more expensive than the traditional type, they are more energy efficient and last around 10 years on average.

SHOWER METERS If you’re looking to save on your water consumption as well as your energy costs, a shower smart meter could be the answer.

The meter attaches to your current domestic shower and gives you a real-time reading of the amount of water and energy you are using, with an energy rating for the shower. They are often programmable with your own goals for water and energy usage.

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The newer generation of smart thermostats also learn from your routine and activities to adjust their settings accordingly and make your home even more efficient – even sensing when the family has left the house.

SMART PLUGS A smart plug is a switch that you plug into a power socket, which you then plug another device into. Once the device is attached to the smart plug you can control it via an app on your smartphone or tablet or with voice controls through your home assistant.

It’s an easy way to automate your house, especially for simple devices such as lamps, kettles or even to reset your router without getting up off the sofa. The smart plug means you can turn the device on and off remotely, put it on a schedule or even monitor its energy usage.

VIDEO DOORBELLS Long-gone are the days of not knowing who is at the door until you answer it. Now any home can benefit from a video doorbell with the new generation of smart doorbells. You can be notified via your smartphone or tablet when anyone arrives at the door.

Depending on your preference, smart doorbells can be activated by the visitor pressing the doorbell or simply by in-built motion sensors. You can then use your app to watch and talk with the visitor using the in-built camera and microphone. Some smart doorbells also allow the user to open the door remotely using a smart lock.

rack it! box it! bin it! shelve it! store it! stack it! move it! lock it! ramp it! file it! climb it! build it! tube it! rack it! box it! bin it!

The Complete Solution Storage solutions for your business The BTS Storage Centre works mainly within the warehouse, storage & distribution sectors, we are a SEMA Approved Company and provide staff with valid SEIRS training.

Working to specific SEMA codes of practice and in line with HSG76 (Warehousing & Storage HSE Guide to Health Safety) we specialise in racking, shelving, mezzanine floors and all other storage equipment and associated products.

We’ve got you covered •

SEMA Approved Company

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Valid SEIRS Licences

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Professional Indemnity Insurance

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Valid FLT & MEWP Licences

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PUWER & LOLER Certified

We also offer an extensive range of services that cover products such as edge protection, barriers, speed bumps, impact protection and mirrors as well as flood defence systems.

For a site survey call 248822 or email storagecentre@btsgsy.com Braye Road Industrial Estate, St Sampson’s Open Mon to Fri 7.30am - 5pm

For further information visit www.btsstoragecentre.com

Tradesman & Building Contractor Insurance Putting safety first with insurance that has you covered Policies arranged with leading insurers Competitive limits combined with flexible levels of cover aimed to suit your business Friendly and knowledgeable support from our experienced locally based staff Over 40 years of experience in trading in the construction industry

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Home / Travel / Motor / Marine / Business The Islands Insurance Brokers Ltd is registered in Guernsey No. 6841 at Lancaster Court, Forest Lane, St Peter Port and is regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) under The Insurance Managers and Insurance Intermediaries (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2002 as an Intermediary for general insurance only (No: 13696). A Member of the NFU Mutual Group of Companies