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The colder months tend to be a quieter period for the industry, but so far this year there’s little sign of a slowdown. Across the sector, architects, engineers and contractors say they are still seeing the benefits of the post-Covid boom, with plenty of projects both on site and in the pipeline. But with interest rate rises starting to bite, and a recessionary period on the horizon, there may be more turbulent times ahead for those in the industry.
What won’t change is the need for the island, like the rest of the world, to think more sustainably about how, where and what we build. Limited land, finite resources and climate change warnings all combine to put sustainability on the agenda. It was the topic of a recent expert panel debate, which you can read about in our special sustainability section starting on page 17.
Elsewhere, we have a focus on social housing in this issue. Recent planning applications and land purchases for the Guernsey Housing Association have seen the non-profit in the headlines. With high demand for social housing, we speak to its new CEO, Victoria Slade, about her ambitions for the role. Read that interview on page 26 and then find Deputy Roffey’s thoughts on the sector on page 28. As President of the Committee for Employment and Social Security, he has political responsibility for social housing, and it’s clearly an area he feels passionate about.
Finally, one of my favourite features in this issue can be found on page 42. The St Peter Port sketch club combines architecture, art and an appreciation for our historic town. With the nights drawing in, their outside art endeavours have drawn to a close for this year –but make sure you keep an eye out for them sketching the streets of St Peter Port next spring.
Tamara Timothy Editor
PUBLISHED BY
Many firms are also prioritising ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors when it comes to their office space, something those completing both new builds and renovations are taking into account. One such example is St James’ Place, and we talk to the team behind the development on page 4.
The site of the former Guernsey prison is welcoming new tenants to a modern office space in the heart of St Peter Port
From planning permissions to new appointments, we round up all the industry news in the island
The focus of an expert panel debate at a recent Chamber of Commerce event, we look at how building can be sustainable for Guernsey
With energy prices and green solutions high on the agenda, we speak to the CEO of the Little Green Energy Company
The new chief executive of the Guernsey Housing Association tells us about her plans for the future of social housing
With a new CEO at the GHA and plenty of plans in the pipeline, the politician heading up social housing is keen to help islanders
30
We speak to the architect behind Guernsey’s new medical centre about what the new facility will offer
32
As the modernisation of Guernsey’s hospital marches on, we find out how the work on site is progressing
The annual GBTEA apprenticeship awards have been announced, discover who the winners were this year
Combining art, history and socialising, the members of the St Peter Port sketch club aim to appreciate town’s topography
Fundamental to Guernsey’s planning decisions, we look at the impact of the IDP over the past year
A site formerly part of Guernsey’s prison, and in more recent years used as a carpark, St James’ Place has risen to take its place in the St Peter Port landscape. Merging modern design with subtle references to the historic area it sits in, the office building has recently welcomed its new tenants to enjoy its facilities and spectacular views.
Situated opposite St James and Elizabeth College and in close proximity to Guernsey’s Royal Court, the challenge for the new office building at Rue Marguerite was to both fit in with its illustrious neighbours while making its own presence felt. Now complete, it’s a goal Steve Marie of developer Comprop thinks the team achieved: “I think the building looks excellent and is a genuinely good addition to the area. Aesthetically, it fits very well onto the site that we had to deal with.
“When you consider the streets surrounding it, it’s not a structure that stands out too obviously but instead it blends well into the street scene. It might be a brand-new building, but I think it looks as though it’s meant to be there, so I’m really pleased with it.”
While the building may have been designed to blend in, that lack of ostentation isn’t due to any lack of attention when it came to the architecture. In fact, the look of the building
has been carefully designed to reflect and enhance its surroundings. Peter Garforth of Morris Architects in Jersey was responsible for the project. The firm’s designs were meticulously developed with the Guernsey Planning department who sought a highclass modern development on the site. He thinks they have maximised the use of a very tricky location: “The site’s topography and footprint dictated the design to an extent – we used curving forms to maximise every extent of the available site, while
dealing with the deviation in levels along St James Street and La Rue Marguerite. From a massing perspective, we wanted to respect the neighbouring listed building while ensuring we had a modern interpretation of the classic Georgian building facades within the vicinity.
“This was primarily achieved by the development of the three-bay panel to form the basis of the main elevational treatment and the introduction of a granite plinth to give the building a classical hierarchy. The palette of materials was refined to simplify the language of the main street elevations with the use of vernacular coarse black granite to respect the adjacent Royal Court, GRC cladding, glazing and zinc panelling which enabled the scale of the building to sit coherently within a sensitive important historic street scape.”
The site may have been challenging to work with from an aesthetic perspective, but it had plenty of practical difficulties as well. These were primarily due to the site’s location in a built-up busy area and its relatively small plot size.
Rihoy & Son was the main contractor on the project. Managing director Gavin Rihoy said they managed to make it work despite the issues: “It was a tricky site, mainly due to the size. Having a postage stamp size site in the middle of town definitely had its challenges. But we were very grateful to the States who were very helpful regarding road closures.
“They let us use Rue Marguerite for the duration of the project, which meant we could have it as our laydown area from start to finish. Additionally, they allowed us to close the road running in front of the building dozens of times for cranage access, which was really helpful. I think the site would have been virtually impossible to build on without their help.”
WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE STREETS SURROUNDING IT, IT’S NOT A STRUCTURE THAT STANDS OUT TOO OBVIOUSLY BUT INSTEAD IT BLENDS WELL INTO THE STREET SCENE. IT MIGHT BE A BRAND-NEW BUILDING, BUT I THINK IT LOOKS AS THOUGH IT’S MEANT TO BE THERE, SO I’M REALLY PLEASED WITH IT.
IT’S A REALLY PROMINENT BUILDING, IN A SIZE THAT REALLY SUITS A SINGLE OCCUPIER AND IN A GOOD LOCATION. THE FLOORPLANS ALLOW FOR LOTS OF NATURAL LIGHT, AND THE VIEWS FROM THE TOP FLOORS ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
But built on it has been, with a Grade A office space offering four floors of accommodation and a floor area of just over 18,000sq.ft. Additionally, the basement car park allows for 19 secure underground car parking spaces, along with space for motorcycle and vehicle parking.
That underground car park was obviously key to the success of the office space, but creating it was no easy feat, as Gavin explained: “It took us over a year to dig out the site and put a waterproof concrete box in the ground to create the carpark, including stackers to maximise the parking provision.”
The design of the building meant that the structural steel frame didn’t line up with the basement car park, so a thick concrete ground floor transfer slab was put in, with the steel frame then sat atop that. Andrew Ullyott led the team from Jason Powers Consultants (JPC), who project managed St James’ Place for Comprop. His role involved overseeing progress from the various parties and keeping a close eye on the budget, programme and quality of the work.
For Andrew, it was important that the St James’ Place project was well planned from the start: “JPC came onboard at the beginning of the contract design so we knew exactly what needed to be done on site. The constraints of the area were the main limiting factor as it was only accessible
on two sides due to an adjacent property and large retaining wall. Additionally, there are obviously a lot of residents in that area which is always a concern. But when we started the groundworks it was very well planned out and it all went smoothly.”
What Andrew and his team couldn’t plan for was the Covid pandemic, which affected this project, as he explained: “It undoubtedly caused issues with the programme and we did have to extend the timeframe on the project. The first lockdown we used the time as productively as we could to reschedule work and make sure we were organised to start again. The second lockdown was much less efficient for us as it came when we were at a critical part of the project on site.”
However, even once Covid was less of an immediate issue, there was little time to relax as the ongoing global uncertainty caused yet more problems. The GRC (glass reinforced concrete) panels that were crucial to the exterior design were due to be fabricated in Czechoslovakia and delivered earlier this year. Unfortunately the team making them were Ukrainian so February saw the start of major delays to that vital component.
Now resolved, those issues contributed to pushing the completion date to October. However, now the building is completed the new tenant is delighted to have taken up residence.
The building was pre-let by Watts Property Consultants. Managing director, Joanna Watts, said they had no problem finding a suitable tenant: “It’s a really prominent building, of a size that suits a single occupier and in a good location. The floorplans allow for plenty of natural light and the views from the top floors are stunning.
“We’ve had lots of positive comments about the design of the building. But people aren’t only concerned these days about how properties look. Their environmental impact is increasingly important. St James’ Place was BREEAM benchmarked, which helped meet the tenant’s ESG [environmental and social governance] requirements. This is something we’re seeing become more and more important to firms across all sectors.”
The new tenant in St James’ Place is audit, advisory and tax firm, Grant Thornton. Having initially committed to a few floors of the building, as the work progressed they decided they could use the whole space and have the benefit of their name above the door. For managing director Adam Budworth, it was an opportunity they couldn’t pass up: “The chance to move into a building located in the heart of St Peter Port was a big appeal. This was coupled with the fact that our restructuring team wanted a location close to the Royal Court, and we could not get any closer than next door. As it was a turnkey solution we were able to influence the interior design from the outset, and having carried out staff surveys to understand what they wanted from an office, we finally had a chance to put that into practice in Guernsey.”
What the staff wanted was flexible working spaces, with breakout areas, standing desks alongside more traditional office furniture, and amenity space. It was something that Adam was delighted to finally provide when they came to move in: “I was never convinced we were going to finish on time but the effort of the teams in the final two weeks was phenomenal, and it was only during these two weeks I could really begin to see the finished product.
“When I talk about the building I describe it as ‘fantastic’. The views are to die for and we now have so much natural light. We have showers in our building, a secure bike rack along with all the green credentials you would expect to find with a new build. The agile desks you can book are ergonomic with dual screens. I expect to see an increase in the frequency of visits from my Jersey colleagues.”
Those visitors will not only be able to take advantage of the facilities in the building, but enjoy one of its biggest selling points of all - the spectacular views outside.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE BUILDING I DESCRIBE IT AS ‘FANTASTIC’. THE VIEWS ARE TO DIE FOR AND WE NOW HAVE SO MUCH NATURAL LIGHT.
St James’ Place sits among some of Guernsey’s best-known historic buildings –all of which fed into the design and appearance of the newcomer to the block.
Formerly known as St James-the-Less, the original church was designed by John Wilson and completed by 1818 at a cost of nearly £7,000. It was built to provide somewhere for the British garrison to worship in English as well as later providing a chapel for nearby Elizabeth College. After falling out of use by 1970, it was converted to its current set up and officially re-opened as a concert hall in 1985, with the restoration winning a Civic Trust Award in 1986. In 2002 further alterations were made with the addition of the Dorey Centre comprising meeting rooms, a café and administration space.
Building work commenced on the ‘old’ Royal Court in 1792. The stone on the pediment of the current Royal Court building bears the legend “GIIIR 1799” to reflect the fact the façade was completed in that year. The States
agreed to further land purchase in 1821 to enable expansion and the construction of an upstairs Chamber and the space was gradually added to until the late 20th century.
When it became clear that a modern extension was necessary, Nicholas Hare Architects was appointed following a competition. The winning entry blended modern design with the old reclaimed granite from the prison formerly on the site.
Like St James, Elizabeth College was designed by the most notable architect of the period, John Wilson. Formally opened on 20 August 1829, the oldest remaining building on the site is the cottage on the lowest corner of the current campus. The College is currently in the process of constructing a large new facility in Upland Road, Perrot Court.
Developer Comprop CI Limited
Designers and consultants:
Henderson Green Jason Powers Consultants
Morris Architects Tillyard Waddington Interiors Watts Property Consultants
Main contractor: Rihoy & Son
Subcontractors: Bluesky Office Channel Welders DW Stonemasons
Edge Protection Systems Fineline Road Markings G4S
Greg Forino Flooring Guernsey Metal Roofing MGN Fire Protection North Star Officeworks Otis P3 Projection Coatings Phase Mechanical Electrical Salisbury Glass Construction Sarnian Roofing Stainless Steel Fabrications UCF WOHR Parking Systems
The design of the main building was described unfavourably by David Ansted and Robert Latham in their 1862 publication ‘The Channel Islands’, as “unfortunately harmonising in its utter tastelessness with other modern buildings in the island” and being “erected at great cost” presenting “a bald, plastered, unmeaning face, too prominent to be overlooked.”
Those involved with St James’ Place will be hoping for more positive reviews.
This would include, but would not be limited to, land which is in an unsightly condition, and could include redundant hotel sites, derelict premises in town and other known eyesores across the island.
Section 46 of the Land Planning and Development (Guernsey) Law, 2005, permits the States to allow for the control of the use of land by Ordinance and similar provisions already exist in Alderney, Jersey, England and Wales.
island is being put to best use. There are existing provisions in place for this, but they don’t deal with unsightly land in a comprehensive way.
The Development & Planning Authority (DPA) has submitted a policy letter asking the States for permission to serve civil notices to land owners and occupiers to improve the condition of their land where it is adversely affecting the amenity of an area.
Deputy Victoria Oliver (pictured), president of the DPA, said: “We’ve already produced a Development Framework for three regeneration areas in St. Peter Port but having these powers would enable us to make sure that the limited space on our
Jazmine moved from Glasgow to Guernsey in July and the studio says she has already become a valuable member of its team. In her role, Jazmine will contribute creatively to project design stages. With Lovell Ozanne’s broad range of projects, Jazmine has been able to gain experience in both the residential and commercial sectors, as well as work on bespoke residential dwellings.
For Jazmine, joining the team has been a very positive experience: “Lovell Ozanne has a keen eye for designing beautiful tranquil spaces which I am overjoyed to now be a part of. Learning and becoming part of
bring to the company. Charlie was born in Guernsey and worked for Speakman Sayers Architects before moving to the UK, but he has always maintained his connection with the island and he returned with his wife in 2018 to raise his two boys in Guernsey.
Managing director Stuart Pearce commented: “We’re so thrilled to welcome Charlie into our team and his enthusiasm for design is infectious.”
“Islanders and visitors already enjoy the beauty of our island, but we’re all aware of sites which spoil our otherwise picturesque scenery. As well as making the most efficient use of our space, this would be an opportunity to further improve the charm of our island and deter the creation of more eyesores.”
The notices would not apply to redundant greenhouses and related structures, as other measures already exist under the Planning Law to encourage removal of these structures.
the process in which these projects come to life is extremely fulfilling, and I am excited about future projects.”
Jazmine gained her BA (Hons) at the Mackintosh School of Architecture (RIBA Part 1) and is now pursuing her Masters in Architecture (RIBA Part 2) whilst working at Lovell Ozanne. Outside work, Jazmine keeps connected to the broader creative world by pursuing graphic design and photography projects.
Having worked in London for many years, Charlie has a wealth of experience to
Charlie added: “I am delighted to be working in such a welcoming and friendly office. It is great to be working with such a talented team of people on an amazing range of projects and I am very excited about what the future may hold”.
Charlie studied architecture at Portsmouth University, becoming a chartered architect in 1999. Whilst completing his studies he worked in Guernsey, Los Angeles and San Francisco before moving to London, where he worked for 16 years. There he built his knowledge and skills as a designer, going on to become part of the senior management team at HTA Design LLP, a leading architectural practice specialising in housing design.
Since being back in Guernsey Charlie has designed and gained planning for several private homes.
Katie Birch has joined the team at StudiO. With a specialisation in project, design and construction team management, including programming, leading team meetings, client liaison and contract administration, Katie is also a qualified chartered architect.
Working predominantly in the private residential and hospitality sectors, Katie’s role involves setting up projects from the outset and leading clients and the design teams through the design stages and throughout construction.
For Katie it’s an exciting opportunity: “I’m thrilled to have become part of the team at StudiO at such an exciting time of growth and development for the company. The team is young, passionate, and knowledgeable, creating a great working environment that has huge appeal to
me. The company has extremely exciting projects on the go, in all different sectors, and I’m delighted to be involved and hopefully contributing to their success.”
StudiO founder and managing director, Oliver Westgarth, added: “As StudiO continues to grow, we’re constantly looking to broaden our diverse team and Katie is the perfect addition. The studio is working on an array of exciting projects at the moment and Katie’s skills will enhance the dynamic service we offer our clients. We are particularly keen to utilise Katie’s skills in project management, which will complement the already in-depth service StudiO offers during the site works stage. Her appointment will benefit both our in-house team and our clients and I am excited to see her take on this new challenge.’
The GSPCA has been given planning permission to build a new wildlife hospital at its headquarters in St Andrews.
The approval means the charity can demolish some of the older buildings on the site which date back to the 1940s, replacing them with modern, purpose-built amenities designed by DLM Architects.
GSPCA manager Steve Byrne said the new wildlife hospital will help the charity care for the many animals that come through its
doors every year: “A new wildlife hospital is well overdue not only for us here at the GSPCA but for the whole of the Channel Islands. We often have wildlife from Alderney, Sark, Herm and even Jethou at the GSPCA. We help over 2500 wild animals and birds every year and you’d be surprised what we get called out for.
“In recent years we have helped Olivia the loggerhead turtle, Fortune the dolphin, many oiled birds this winter, over 700 hedgehogs a year, Pedro the puffin, we currently have
two seals and we have even been called out to help an eel in the middle of the road on a rainy day.”
Although plans for building the new facility have been approved, the GSPCA does not have the funding in place for it. The costs of the build are estimated at around £2million, with around £300,000 pledged so far.
flooding for each property because of climate change. Ambiental’s climate flood data along with subsidence and coastal erosion data will be supplied to Skipton to ensure it meets future regulatory compliance requirements.
risks it presents to Channel Island properties. We are aware that this data will be beneficial to many other Channel Island businesses and will be pleased to share with them if they wish to contact us.”
Skipton has partnered with Ambiental Risk Analytics (Ambiental) in support of its work on climate change.
Skipton commissioned a unique aerial survey for the Channel Islands this summer to create a model to show the impact of
For Skipton, this forms part of its future risk assessment when lending monies within the islands. Credit risk manager Simon White said: “We’ve made big strides over the last few years in our sustainability and ESG activities, particularly in how we prepare for and respond to climate change.
“This in-depth analysis of our mortgage portfolio is invaluable to help understand and manage the physical and transitional
Rob Carling, sales manager at Ambiental, added: “We are delighted to work with Skipton to develop the climate flood models for the Channel Islands. Like other parts of the UK the islands will be impacted by climate change, and a recent report from the Jersey Government states that 400 homes and businesses are at risk of a major flooding incident. This is forecasted to rise to 3,000 properties in the future unless something is done.”
The aim is for this exciting and ambitious project to produce educational, cultural, tourism and economic benefits for Guernsey.
Working with Larry Malcic, project director, and internationally recognised exhibition designers Casson Mann, the team will study ways in which the historic building can be adapted to provide an interpretation centre/ museum, a flexible exhibition, meeting and performance space, and an education study centre.
creative community can display their talent and exhibit their work, inspired by both the island itself and Hugo’s life and work.
David De La Mare, managing director of DLM Architects, said: “We’re excited and honoured to have the opportunity to work on this iconic landmark building, and to be a part of a fantastic team with the energy and vision to deliver a unique place that will benefit the entire community for generations.”
DLM has been appointed to help with the development of the Victor Hugo Centre. The studio will be working with the Victor Hugo Centre Guernsey LBG team to create design proposals for the conversion of the former States building on the North Esplanade into the Victor Hugo Centre.
The museum element of the centre will celebrate how Victor Hugo’s work, life and art were influenced by Guernsey, as well as his literary and humanitarian legacy . The centre will become a central hub and meeting place for Guernsey, a lively place in St Peter Port where the contemporary
For David, the St Peter Port building is the perfect choice for the new centre: “The building itself lends itself so well to this type of use without comprising the integrity of the historic building. We’ve already found out so many fascinating details about the structure and we’re excited to learn more as the project progresses.”
The Bella Spa that was also on the hotel premises has closed permanently.
Once completed, the 21 guest rooms in the four-star hotel will be reduced to 14, with the aim of creating better spaces for the higher end of the tourist market.
The entire building is planned for demolition, apart from the 17th century longhouse, which has had extensions added to it over the years. It will be revamped into a twostorey, modern restaurant where the kitchen will be in full view so that guests can see their food being prepared.
take place.
An application was made by equity firm Green Giant Ltd, with permission granted at the end of August. That application was not connected to the Wheadon family, who have been involved with the site for a number of years.
Along with bedrooms, new spaces for business conferences and large events will be constructed, along with a new bar and gym area. A thatched roof will be installed for insulation and practicality purposes.
the cliffs. This would be done by recessing the proposed two-storey dwelling into the hillside and fragmenting the building mass. The result would be a building mass that sits below the crest of the cliffs and does not protrude from the skyline of the headland.
Architects Lovell Ozanne have submitted plans for a bespoke home on the former Idlerocks Hotel site in St Martin’s.
The studio says its proposal respects the immediate landscape character by reflecting the established natural forms of
The dwelling would not be visible from the main road, further emphasising the open character of the ‘upland plateau’ and ‘cliff tops’. In addition to this primary principle, Sexton Green Landscapes have been appointed to provide a comprehensive landscaping scheme that will respect and enhance the site boundaries by including a high proportion of native and wildlifefriendly species.
to form seven residential units. They would be accessed through the existing alleyway beside the building.
The retail unit on the ground floor, where Burtons Menswear previously traded, would be retained under the proposals, as would the associated storage area on the first floor.
The design for the building would see it be clad in materials that complement the established pallet, such as patinated copper, timber and granite. As well as far surpassing the current internal residential space standards, the design features abundant external amenity space, which connects the building to nature.
The architects say the proposal will not result in any loss of distinctive natural features that contribute to the broader area, and they believe that the carefully considered design will vastly improve the character of the surrounding area.
The former Townhouse nightclub building on the High Street could become apartments, following a recent planning application. Approval is being sought to change the use of the upper floors of 38 High Street
The Townhouse closed its doors in 2019 and the extent of repairs needed to the protected 18th century building is substantial.
stakeholders and members of the public. Four representors and two representatives of Ronez chose to speak publicly at the meeting. Concerns raised included the levels of noise, dust and vibrations, biodiversity and the impact on nearby properties and businesses.
Developers, Kirkwood Properties Ltd, say the plans have been prepared in consultation with relevant Island Development Plan policies, and that “there is a need for single bedroom accommodation for individuals and couples working in the Town Centre”.
It is noted that whilst there is limited external amenities, the central Town location provides ample leisure and recreation space. There would be minimal alternations to the building’s exterior, but extensive refurbishment would be required for the interior.
the representations made and considered this application in accordance with the Development Framework approved last year, based on the principles of the Island Development Plan.
The planning application to establish a new quarry at Chouet headland was recently approved at an open planning meeting.
The Development & Planning Authority (DPA) voted unanimously to approve the application.
During the planning process, nine representations were received from
Permission was granted with a number of additional conditions including an increased number of dust receptors, agreement regarding the days and times at which blasting is permitted and consideration of lowering machinery on the site to reduce visual and noise impacts.
Victoria Oliver, president of the DPA, said: “The principle of quarrying was established by the States and therefore the planning application was mainly about the impacts and mitigation. We have listened carefully to
“The conditions which have been added to this planning application are so important in ensuring that this work is carried out with the appropriate mitigations. We are really grateful to the parishioners that took the time to look at the application and make comments which the Authority have taken on board through the additional conditions.”
Now that the application has been approved. Ronez can proceed with establishing the quarry before its current Les Vardes location reaches the end of its life.
Skipton International offers a sparkling range of fixed term savings accounts at attractive rates. If you don’t require immediate access to your savings, then Skipton’s savings bonds could be a perfect match.
Skipton International Limited (Skipton), registered in Guernsey: 30112, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Skipton Building Society. Skipton is licensed under the Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2020, as amended. Skipton is a participant in the Guernsey Banking Deposit Compensation Scheme. The Scheme offers protection for ‘qualifying deposits’ up to £50,000, subject to certain limitations. The maximum total amount of compensation is capped at £100,000,000 in any 5 year period. Full details are available on the Scheme’s website www.dcs.gg or on request. To help maintain service and quality, telephone calls may be recorded and monitored.
From green energy to improving education around sustainability, the island’s experts share their thoughts on how Guernsey can build responsibly.
A recent Chamber of Commerce panel discussion focused on how the island can ‘build sustainably’. Moderated by Rollo de Sausmarez and with audience input, the panel of experts discussed the many issues facing Guernsey and how the construction industry can play its part.
As panel chair Rollo de Sausmarez pointed out, the island, along with much of the world, is facing a perfect storm at the moment – a housing crisis, a cost of living crisis, an energy crisis and a climate crisis. Arising from different factors and with a myriad of effects, one thing those crises do have in common is that some of their solutions are tied up within the built environment.
The most obvious is clearly the housing crisis. The simple solution – more housing. But that needs to be cost-effective, sustainable and energy efficient. For Rollo, the clock is ticking and there will be very important consequences for the island if we drag our feet.
What are the main barriers to more sustainable construction in Guernsey?
Rollo questioned whether the barriers were planning, the availability of materials, finding sustainable materials, or lack of client demand. For architect Paul Langlois, the answer is all of them. He believes sustainability is a whole package of different yet integral components, which all have to be joined up and understood. This can range from the type of sites used, to the design of a property and how it is used through to the end of life cycle and how materials can be regenerated and reused. There is no one element of blockage; however, planning and building controls could make it easier for sustainable design to get through, and there could be better education for the general public on what it is and how it can be achieved.
As president of the Development and Planning Authority (DPA), Victoria Oliver’s focus is on planning, where she says they are constantly trying to improve things and remove barriers. One example is solar panels, where new exemptions will be coming out to make it much easier for people to apply for energy related amendments to their properties. With regard to building control requirements in areas such as insulation, she said that while many take those as a target, they should be a minimum. Victoria wants to change people’s mindset around sustainability and have it built into the culture of the industry.
As CEO of builder’s merchant Norman Piette, John Bampkin knows exactly what materials are available in the island and how they are used. While Covid and Brexit meant there have been significant material shortages at times over the past couple of years, he doesn’t believe that materials are a barrier to change. Most materials come into the island from the UK and Europe and with supply levels returning to normal,
those that people want are available. For him, it’s all about educating those involved in the industry.
Engineering consultant Richard Spinney agrees with that. For him, the key is for islanders to know what the most sustainable material is and be encouraged to use that. As he pointed out, it takes the same effort to put in four inches of insulation as it does two but people need to know and understand the effects of that.
How can the island be at the forefront of sustainable construction?
For Paul, manufactured homes still have a stigma attached to them in Guernsey, with people liking to have the solidity of a block built property. But for him, modular or prefab building offers huge amounts of potential when it comes to sustainability. He believes that as people become more aware of what’s available, it will become more and more popular to go down that route.
John thinks that education can contribute to everyone’s understanding of sustainability. He would like to see more training carried out in Guernsey from suppliers and manufacturers, not just for his trade customers but for everyone connected to the industry. He says it can be hard to communicate the sustainability and energy efficiency of materials, but that more education in materials and new ways of building would be helpful.
Victoria agrees that far more could be done from an educational perspective, especially when the carbon footprint of materials used in Guernsey is already higher once they have made their way to the island.
For Richard, it’s important to take the whole life emissions into account when looking at the sustainability of materials and the carbon footprint. As to where responsibility lies, he gives it to the architect. As the first person a client sees about a project, he thinks architects should be up to speed on how to make sustainable, low energy use properties and should be encouraging their clients in that direction.
Paul said that sustainability is now a very important concept in architecture. He pointed out that when he was studying it was never mentioned; now it’s a hugely important part of any architecture course. If architects are focused on it, it will trickle down to the people on site and the general public as the way forward. The key is working out how to achieve it without prohibitive costs, and for him that is focusing on solar design and using natural light, energy and ventilation in the properties he works on.
What can be done in Guernsey’s housing market in terms of embedding the sustainability aspect into the value of property?
Energy performance certificates (EPCs) were the focus of this discussion. A requirement in the UK, Jersey and the Isle of Man, EPCs tell you how efficient a building is and give it a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). They tell a prospective purchaser how costly it will be to heat and light the property, and what the estimated carbon dioxide emissions would be.
Victoria said she understands the benefits of EPCs and the knowledge they give purchasers – and admits that if she was buying a house she would certainly consider its energy performance. While she wouldn’t say that the department is looking to introduce them, she did admit it’s an area they are investigating.
The benefits are obvious to Richard. As he pointed out, it’s virtually impossible to know simply from looking at a building how insulated etc it is, so having EPCs makes it very clear for those looking to purchase.
Can the island do more to encourage the use of renewable energy?
Victoria told the audience there is new legislation coming to offer far more incentives for islanders to use technology such as solar panels and batteries, as you would no longer require a planning application to install them. She said they are trying to streamline the process to make it easier for islanders; however, they won’t be incentivising financially at a government level. She pointed out that the energy performance of houses built in the past decade is pretty good and any future grant would need to be targeted at the poorest properties – those built between the 1930s and 1950s.
For Richard, the main issue is Guernsey Electricity’s tariff structure, which he believes is a real disincentive. The low buy back rate from the electricity provider doesn’t encourage people to install renewables and leaves the payback period longer.
With finite space available in the island – is high rise building the way forward?
Paul believes there’s a time and place for high rise buildings but there’s certainly a limit to what should be put in the island. He believes somewhere like the Charroterie could benefit from a certain height building
without impacting too much on the environment. He thinks it could be part of the solution as long as social issues are properly considered.
Victoria pointed out that contrary to many people’s beliefs, the IDP supports high rise within the main centres, and it’s something she’d like to see more of. Key for her is for any high rise building to be properly supported with amenity space around it. She says the space saved by going up should be then used for public space and parks to improve the area. For her, it’s a case of when not if the island starts to build up.
As president of the Development and Planning Authority, Victoria is often in the spotlight when it comes to determining planning applications. Her role also includes advising the States on land use policies and implementing those policies through development plans.
As chief executive at the Norman Piette Group, John is responsible for the largest timber and builder’s merchant in Guernsey. Having steered the supplier through the Covid crisis, he is well aware of the current challenges facing the industry, and some of the potential solutions.
Chartered architect and founder of Paul Langlois Architects, Paul has a real focus on sustainability when it comes to his designs. Working closely with his clients on both heritage and modern buildings, he wants to build houses that will stand the test of time for those living in them.
As a partner at mechanical and electrical services consultancy, Henderson Green, engineer Richard provides advice on all aspects of energy, mechanical and electrical engineering services. His projects include individual houses through to large infrastructure projects.
Bob Beebe has been involved in the energy sector for four decades. But his most recent role, as CEO of the Little Green Energy Company, has seen him more passionate about the industry than ever. He spoke to us about the impact of renewable energy, and its potential to benefit the whole island.
With energy prices rising and the impact of climate change ever more daunting, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the Little Green Energy Company is in demand. What may be less expected is why people are coming to Bob to search out domestic renewables.
“I would estimate that around 80% of our customers say they want to move into renewables because they want to do the right thing. For most people, it’s not really about the money, it’s about their impact on the environment. But with the spiralling cost of energy, the payback period on expenditure on renewables is coming down so it’s a win in every area.”
As for what those customers are looking for, Bob says it is evolving all the time. Solar panels are usually the first choice, but the introduction of Tesla powerwalls which allow homes to store energy and then use it once the sun has gone has been a real game-changer.
“It’s the democratisation of energy, and I think that’s the future. People are now empowered to do it themselves. They can generate and store their own electricity, and homes can now be virtually selfsufficient in their energy use solely from zero carbon generating technology.
“What we do find people are keen to invest in is the right technology; understandably, they want to be certain that it will work for them. The solar panels now available have a 40-year warranty, which makes justifying the payback an easy calculation.”
Bob understands the argument that not everyone can afford to install the technology, but he still believes strongly that everyone should be able to access clean energy, whether that is through government subsidies or private companies providing the technology and benefiting from the energy produced.
“If the States incentivised the market we could support the grid and produce more locally generated electricity. But the whole mindset needs to change. It’s why the upcoming electricity strategy is crucial and I hope we see some genuine change from it, with renewables put very much at the forefront.
“Everyone should have access to renewable energy, no matter where they live. If you live in a flat you should be able to buy locally produced energy from the supplier. If you live in a house but can’t afford panels, then there should be arrangements with private
companies where they can be put on your house anyway, with the energy supplied to the grid for you to then purchase by the unit.”
Bob’s passion for the subject is very clear. He thinks the island could set a perfect example to elsewhere, while also having the potential to be a testbed for new ideas and research in wind and tidal energy as well as solar.
“Imagine our island being a place where every home has access to local sunshine generated electricity and is able to store it to reduce the carbon footprint and become even more energy independent. If you think ambitiously about it, there is potential for an energy transition to a low carbon economy. This would not only fuel job opportunities in the clean energy industry but would provide greater relief on energy bills and result in significant local reductions in emissions and overall energy demand.”
For Bob, the progression of technology means that turning Guernsey into a ‘green island’ is becoming ever more viable. He would like to see large scale renewable systems and battery storage options considered in the island to supply the bulk of the population’s needs.
“Solar technology has come on a huge amount over the past decade. I recently visited a solar farm in west Wales, which was situated next to another one built around 10 years ago. At the new one, the panels were half the size of the older ones but were far more powerful –it’s very impressive how the technology has advanced and it offers up so much opportunity.”
One of the factors holding some back when considering domestic renewables is not being incentivised enough to feed excess renewable energy back into the grid for the benefit of all islanders. Bob would like to see more done to encourage locally produced renewable energy to be put into the grid from individual users, as that way more islanders are able to access locally generated renewable energy.
Bob says modern technology means producing your own energy couldn’t be simpler now. “When it comes to the Tesla Powerwall in conjunction with solar PV panels, the entire system is carefully set up to divert power to heat water by charging the immersion cylinder, whilst charging up the Powerwall and powering your home. Even an electric vehicle can be charged before any power is exported back to the grid. Additionally, it’s very intelligent about learning your usage patterns and routines to ensure that power is available at the time you want it.”
But while renewable energy is the main focus of Bob’s working life, he thinks the island can do even more to set itself up for success. Having recently put external wall insulation on his own house and seen his energy use drop dramatically, he is a keen advocate for improving building standards and encouraging less demand for energy in the first place.
“Current building standards call for very low heat loss construction technology to be used, but many existing buildings have very poor thermal energy saving qualities. They could really benefit from energy saving retrofitting technology investment.
“I think the States should give due consideration to offering subsidies to encourage energy saving upgrades across the island’s housing stock as part of its energy policy. This would result in the overall energy consumption of islanders being reduced, and would help us move towards our net zero target by 2050.”
Guernsey’s new electricity strategy will be published and debated by the States next year, and Bob is hoping those in government will be as ambitious for the island as he is.
BOB’S PASSION FOR THE SUBJECT IS VERY CLEAR. HE THINKS THE ISLAND COULD SET A PERFECT EXAMPLE TO ELSEWHERE, WHILE ALSO HAVING THE POTENTIAL TO BE A TESTBED FOR NEW IDEAS AND RESEARCH IN WIND AND TIDAL ENERGY AS WELL AS SOLAR.
With energy prices rising and environmental awareness becoming ever more a consideration for many, Guernsey’s electricity strategy is in the spotlight. The Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure is working on an updated strategy to feed into the island’s energy policy, with the report set to come to the States soon.
The electricity strategy will set out the expectations for demand, security of supply requirements, the role of Guernsey Electricity and competition in the marketplace, financing the transition away from fossil fuels and options for the supply in the short to medium term.
But the members of the Committee aren’t the only politicians taking a real interest in Guernsey’s energy supply. An independent group of 14 deputies recently released a comprehensive report looking at the options for solar, tidal and wind energy and how they could benefit the island.
Their proposals included building a windfarm off the island’s south-west coast, leasing the seabed between the 6-12 mile limit to a wind farm developer. The report
says the island could make many millions of pounds per year through the arrangement, which would produce more power than the two reactors at Flamanville nuclear power station across the water.
Guernsey has the relevant laws in place already to enable the seabed to be leased to a developer, which would avoid the island incurring the capital expenditure to develop the wind farm but also give it an income and access to a secure source of cheap green power.
They say the proposals would not only potentially help with the cost of living for islanders, but offer new employment opportunities and the chance for the island to develop technical expertise in the area.
The group was set up by Deputy David de Lisle, who wrote the report focused on solar power. It says that area offers the most scope for immediate change, with vast potential for solar expansion on the island.
The report estimates that Guernsey currently has installed two megawatts of solar PV and one MW of battery energy storage, and this could be increased by 150 fold in 15 years to 300MWs, which would account for about half to a third of the island’s electricity needs.
The report recommends that planning restrictions are eased on domestic rooftop panels and the building of small-scale solar farms on brownfield sites. A guaranteed buy-back for independently-produced solar panel would also encourage investment.
Tidal energy was the area which offered the least opportunity for immediate impact in the island, with a wait and see approach recommended for now. However, it is noted that technology changes and advancements mean there is scope for wave power to play an important role going forward.
The report and proposals will be put before the Committee of the Environment and Infrastructure, with the deputies asking for its findings to be taken into consideration for future policy making.
With construction accounting for 45% of the total UK carbon emissions, it’s clear the industry needs to take some responsibility for its environmental impact. The UK Government set a target of 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment by 2025. For those wanting to help locally, here are some things to consider.
Sustainable materials are defined as those that have no direct impact on the environment and do not use nonrenewable resources.
Examples include: using timber instead of steel; using concrete reinforced with natural fibres; geo-textiles made from crops; straw bales; and materials that are accredited as being responsibly sourced such as FSC timber.
It seems simple, but the less waste you produce the less your impact on the environment. If buildings are designed to be more adaptable and reusable, there is less need for demolition and removal.
Demolition has an enormous impact on the amount of waste initiated during a building’s lifetime and construction businesses should consider the environmental impact of materials used for developments. And obviously recycle whenever you can.
The earlier the better really is the case when it comes to sustainability. The early planning and design stages of a building have a major impact on how they can reduce energy use and pollution. This is the stage where architects, engineers and contractors can work together to make sure that the construction is as sustainable as possible. Factors to consider can range from the materials you choose to use, to how you approach the energy requirements of the building and the waste produced.
The longer a building lasts, the more sustainable it is. If you use durable materials and products to develop buildings, it will mean that they don’t need to be replaced or repaired as frequently, resulting in less maintenance and less waste. Look at the island’s oldest buildings for inspiration – brick and stone clearly stands the test of time.
Increase the energy efficiency of your project and costs will be reduced by lowering fuel consumption. But this doesn’t just apply to the finished product – it applies to every part of the building development, from the equipment used to the appliances installed.
Energy efficient materials have become so mainstream there are many varieties to choose from, ranging from insulating concrete forms and low-emissivity windows to structural insulated panels.
Again, energy efficiency should be considered from the very start of the project to factor in insulation, air quality and how the property will be heated and cooled
An increasingly valuable resource, water supplies need to be preserved as much as possible. Sustainable water design can be incorporated throughout the building process.
The ways you can help include: implementing pressure reducing valves to reduce flow in toilets, showers and kitchens; regularly carrying out leak detection tests followed by prompt repairs when needed; using more durable service pipes to minimise leakage; and recording water use in different areas to monitor consumption.
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 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.
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As the new chief executive of the Guernsey Housing Association (GHA), Victoria Slade has some impressive footsteps to follow in. Her predecessor, Steve Williams, has helped transform the social housing landscape in the island during his 17 years in the role. But Victoria is clear that she has ambitions and priorities of her own that she’s excited to tackle.
With almost 20 years’ experience in the sector, Victoria has come from roles across the UK, most recently in Wales. But while our small island may not seem the most obvious career move, she says it’s exactly where she wants to be.
“I’ve always wanted to live on an island, and this really is my dream. Guernsey seems to have such a strong community spirit. There is a real sense of connection here as well as the fact it’s extremely beautiful. I’m very excited to be here and to start getting involved with the community. I really want to be a net contributor to the island – both through work and helping meet the housing needs in the island as well as volunteering and offering my services that way.”
So far, Victoria’s career has seen her work with large social landlords managing 60,000 homes across England and Scotland to her most recent CEO role at Cynon Taf Community Housing Group in South Wales, dealing with fewer than 2,000 properties. But while the numbers may have got smaller, the challenges didn’t – and it’s that experience Victoria is hoping to bring to Guernsey.
“The challenges of Guernsey’s housing market were part of the island’s attraction for me. Lots of the difficulties you would find elsewhere are hugely amplified because of the island’s unique situation. Housing prices, land availability and build costs are issues everywhere, but they are harder to overcome here, while the need for housing is acute. At the same time, it was really important to me to be community-based.
The bigger the organisation, the more you are removed from the tenants and the communities you are there to help. Having that connection is really important to me.”
Speaking to Victoria, it’s clear that social housing is something she feels passionately about – not only to provide roofs over tenants’ heads, but to offer other opportunities through housing stability.
“Housing is such a fundamental part of people’s lives. If you don’t have access to a decent quality home, which is affordable, so many other elements of your life are impacted. For many people, good outcomes in education, and employment, require stability of good quality living arrangements. Poor quality, or a cycle of temporary housing, can have a significant effect on your health. All these things are so important, and that’s why meeting housing needs will never not need a focus.”
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The GHA has now developed 1,032 properties in the island that need to be maintained and managed along with its new build programme.
The portfolio includes:
• 567 general needs homes
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• 45 units of key worker accommodation
• 8 specialist autism designed properties
HOUSING IS SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF PEOPLE’S LIVES. IF YOU DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO A DECENT QUALITY HOME, SO MANY OTHER ELEMENTS OF YOUR LIFE ARE CURTAILED. FOR MANY PEOPLE, ACCESS TO EDUCATION REQUIRES A STABLE HOME.
The plans for new GHA properties have been in the headlines recently – with the organisation acquiring a number of sites for development. Those properties won’t come on-line for another couple of years, but Victoria is adamant there is progress that can be made in other areas in the meantime.
“What the GHA offers is not just about building new houses, it’s about providing an excellent service as well. I think we can add value in other areas through linking with other organisations. One example would be the Guernsey Community Foundation’s recent work on hidden homelessness. If we can find out more about housing needs like that, we can work with others to try and help address those issues. That community aspect really interests me.
“I think there is more we can do around the edges to make sure the GHA is really contributing to understanding the challenges islanders are facing and how those can be tackled. But for me, there’s certainly a lot of learning ahead to understand the Guernsey context. It’s no good simply copying what has been done before elsewhere, the services need to be appropriate for Guernsey.”
Alongside that work, Victoria is keen to focus on the GHA’s existing properties to ensure those tenants are having a positive experience. She believes the growth of the organisation means there is scope to reassess and review how services are delivered.
“Obviously the new builds can’t stop as the pressure is there for them. But we need to look at what else is important to people and how we can make a difference in those areas. At the same time, the GHA’s other properties are getting older and require investment and maintenance. Those landlord functions are obviously a key part of the remit as well.
“The GHA has been really focused for a number of years on tackling the need for new affordable homes. Now that the number of GHA properties is getting more significant, and some of them are ageing, it feels like a really natural point to review the organisation and bring in a different perspective as to how the GHA moves forward.”
While those areas use the skills Victoria has honed over the past couple of decades, she admits that the development side of the role will be a learning curve for her. Luckily, the long handover period with Steve should come in handy as she gets to grips with her new responsibilities.
“It’s lovely to come in to an organisation that’s been clear about what it’s for and is focused on delivery. Property development hasn’t been as much of a focus for me before, so that’s definitely an area for personal development. The long handover with Steve will be such a bonus as I can learn from him, along with the development team, who have a great skill set that I can benefit from. I’ve never had a handover period like this before, and I think it will be beneficial for everyone.”
But while there’s change at the top, Victoria is clear that the ethos of the GHA will stay the same when it comes to build quality and finish.
“It is really important to me that GHA homes are high quality. I think they’ve done an amazing job with the properties so far. When I went to see some of the newer sites they’ve developed, I was blown away by the quality of the design and the construction and finishes. While the team approaches the job very sensibly with regard to maintenance and items being easy to replace, they haven’t compromised the design and finish.
“Housing need should not mean that poor quality accommodation is the only option. Stigma is a real issue in the UK, with grant rates cut to the bare bones which means that space standards and construction standards are maybe not what associations would want. The GHA, with the States’ support, has very clear standards which don’t get compromised.”
Those standards are renowned for including high specifications in areas such as thermal insulation and energy efficiency. The GHA’s requirements are far higher than those mandated by building control, with the aim of not only reducing the cost of living for tenants but minimising the houses’ environmental impact.
“As an ethical organisation, we’ve got to consider that. We need to make sure that our construction and fabrication is as environmentally friendly as possible. Luckily the Board is really committed to that so it’s something that will benefit everyone.”
Victoria is adamant that, under her watch, the GHA will continue to build high quality homes for those who need them, combining different types of tenures to ensure its developments support happy, healthy islanders who can take advantage of the opportunities offered.
The GHA was founded in 2002 in response to the need in the island for partial ownership properties and more support for those in need of affordable housing. Since then, it has built hundreds of properties around the island including extra care and key worker homes.
It is an independent not-for-profit company that works in partnership with the States to deliver social housing. It is led by the chief executive, with all board directors unpaid volunteers.
The GHA and the States of Guernsey hold a single waiting list for social housing to allow for greater efficiency and transparency in the application process.
As President of the Committee for Employment and Social Security (ESS), Deputy Peter Roffey is responsible for the island’s social housing stock. He is also a key member of the Housing Action Group (HAG) that is looking to tackle the island’s housing shortage. He spoke to us about his concerns and hopes for islanders requiring affordable accommodation.
During Deputy Peter Roffey’s decades in the States of Guernsey, he has never been one to shy away from taking action. From implementing the island’s ground-breaking smoking ban to supporting the purchase of Aurigny, he’s somebody who gets things done. So the recent pause in the Guernsey Housing Association’s (GHA) push to build more social housing in the island was a frustrating one for him.
“As the only option for those who can’t rent or buy in the private sector, social housing is always incredibly important, but at the
moment it feels like it’s going to be even more crucial for a substantial part of the population. That’s why it’s such a shame that we’re going to have so few properties coming online in the very near future to support those individuals and families.”
That lack of properties dates back a few years when, following a spate of activity, the GHA couldn’t locate any suitable, or affordable, sites to purchase. The States recognised the issue and in 2021 committed £32.6m to deliver the Affordable Housing
Development Programme. Since then HAG and ESS have been busy securing sites, working closely with Policy & Resources and delivery partner the GHA.
“They had a vibrant building programme but had no sites in the pipeline. The focus therefore had to be on securing sites, and with the support of the States we have done that. However, the break has meant that there are very few homes that are coming online in the near future, and I’m concerned for the people who need those properties.”
The recent major acquisitions have included sites such as Parc Le Lacheur (formerly Kenilworth Vinery) and the Guernsey Business Park. For those purchases, Deputy Roffey believes Policy GP11 has been a real benefit. GP11 requires that proposals for significant new housing developments provide a proportion of the developable area for affordable housing.
“GP11 has made these very expensive sites more affordable, as they are effectively discounted by 30% to allow for that social housing element. The valuation gets factored in to the purchase price for us and helps us access these vital sites. However, I hope that there will be more private developments that also provide the social housing percentage through GP11, such as the major upcoming projects at Leale’s Yard and Pointues Rocques.”
With
the GHA has
Formerly known as Kenilworth Vinery, a planning application for 131 new homes has been submitted for the area. The properties would be a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes for social rental and partial ownership for local residents.
Deputy Roffey’s department is currently researching two important issues, both of which he expects to report back on early next year.
ESS and P&R are currently considering the transfer of States Housing to the GHA, subject to detailed work on the practicalities, including a stock survey and valuation.
91 homes are planned for the Fontaine Vinery land, which is owned by the States. The properties would be a mix of social rental and partial ownership targeted at aspiring first time buyers and homes for keyworkers needed to support the island’s health service.
This empty plot near Sir Charles Frossard House is earmarked for key worker accommodation. Planning approval is already in place for 17 housing units on the plot, with adjustments to the plans to increase the number of units under consideration.
“From the point of view of tenants this could be quite a good move as potentially the properties will be upgraded more quickly than if they remain as States’ housing stock. But we need to be very sure of the finances of it – it would clearly bring in a good capital sum but we would then lose the significant rental income stream from those properties.”
This work should be completed early next year, with a policy letter potentially lodged early in 2023 depending on the outcome of the investigation.
The GHA bought the Guernsey Business Park for £4.75m earlier this year, and plans to apply to develop it for affordable housing. The 16-acre site is located off Route Militaire, with excellent potential for a mixed development of key worker, social rental and partial ownership properties. Early predictions suggest it could accommodate about 190 homes.
Work is due to start next year on this L’Islet development of new purposebuilt accommodation for 14 adults with learning disabilities. A joint venture between HSC, ESS and the GHA, it will enable high-quality supported living facilities to be delivered in a cost-effective manner.
Deputy Roffey put forward the scheme to the Government work plan with the idea of making home ownership more viable for islanders. His idea was to reach those who couldn’t afford full market price, but had a higher income than those using the partial ownership scheme.
“I’m really happy about the idea of some new units in development going down that route as a complement to social housing. My reservations, however, would be on social housing units being sold off in that way. I would be very reluctant to sell off existing stock until we’re on top of the supply issue.”
The policy letter is now with officers and should be brought to the States in 2023.
With its current facilities no longer meeting the requirements of the busy medical centre, the multi-million pound project to redevelop L’Aumone Medical Centre has been designed to deliver a better experience for everyone from service users to staff.
Contractor RG Falla started work on site in May 2021, with the first phase due to be completed by mid-December this year. That will see the surgery move into a bespoke extension to its existing building that has been carefully designed to meet all its needs.
As architect Esther Male of CCD explained, the challenge was in designing the site and workplans so that the medical centre could remain fully operational at all times: “That principle became established fairly early on. We knew the doctors needed their accommodation improved, but they also needed to provide continuity of service while the work was going on. It quickly became apparent that the only way to do
that was to first build the new facilities for the surgery, and then once the staff had moved in there, to convert the existing building for alternative uses.”
It is that initial phase of the project that is on site at the moment – creating a spacious surgery area with excellent access, along with first floor administration space. For Esther, that accessibility was key for a number of reasons, “It’s hugely important that the surgery is very accessible as we could get a whole range of people needing that additional space to manoeuvre around the building. Additionally, while it’s key for people to be able to get in, they also need to be able to get out easily. It’s not unusual for people to collapse in the surgery and
require an ambulance so it was important that emergency help could get in quickly and easily.”
That function of the surgery helped dictate the design, which needed to be negotiated with the Planning Department. The specific requirements meant the building needed to spread out at ground level rather than going up – with administration offices on the upper floors but all treatment spaces downstairs.
While Island Health had been aware of the requirement to expand L’Aumone for some time, it wasn’t until the new Island Development Plan was approved in 2016 that it became more of a possibility.
“The new zoning of local centres meant that land the surgery already owned became available for development, which it wasn’t before that,” said Esther.
“That became a real driving factor that allowed this to happen.”
But with the land being built on a green field in the heart of the local centre, Esther and the team were aware of the potential loss to the area. The building has therefore been designed to retain that green space as much as possible, as Esther explained: “One of the key drivers for the design was to try to keep as much landscaping within the space as we could, and make the building as green as possible. It’s hard to imagine
The substantial extension to the existing building will be home to 12 consulting rooms in a much more generously spaced surgery. The current outdated building has seven small consulting rooms, so the extra space will also be used for treatments such as physiotherapy or minor treatments and operations. Upstairs will provide space for the surgery’s adminstrative staff.
Linked to the new building by a glass walkway, the former consulting rooms will become an expanded pharmacy space to offer customers a better service and experience. The old pharmacy and administrative space will then be converted into space for an ancillary healthcare provider, with that work not expected to finish until later next year.
while it’s a building site, but there is going to be a lot of soft landscaping around the building and also a roof terrace area which will have planting, as well as green walls.
“There was a very conscious design decision made to try to keep some greenery within the heart of the local centre. But there’s far more to it than simply aesthetics; we were really aware that the building needs to be an accessible environment within the community. We want people to feel comfortable going to see their doctor and the greenery really helps with that, so it was a very intentional part of the design.”
The current L’Aumone Medical Centre building has stood since the 1970s and it’s hoped this redevelopment will also stand the test of time. But with demand on the medical profession constantly growing, even the new building has been designed with future proofing in mind. The first floor has been constructed with poured concrete to ensure that if further additions are required, the building is ready for them.
While this project’s dates meant that work on site was not affected by the island’s lockdowns, the planning stages at the start of the project were impacted by Covid. However, the very purpose of the building means the effects of the pandemic are far more wideranging than delays to work.
“The foresight of the doctors meant that pandemic planning was part of the brief before Covid,” said Esther. “An important design feature of the surgery is that it can actually be split in two if necessary to create a ‘clean’ side and a ‘dirty’ side. There are divisions down the corridors and the ability to use a fire escape doorway as a separate entrance to the building.”
THERE WAS A VERY CONSCIOUS DESIGN DECISION MADE TO TRY TO KEEP SOME GREENERY WITHIN THE HEART OF THE LOCAL CENTRE. WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO SEE THEIR DOCTOR AND THE GREENERY REALLY HELPS WITH THAT, SO IT WAS A VERY INTENTIONAL PART OF THE DESIGN.
The modernisation of Guernsey’s Princess Elizabeth Hospital is well underway, with principal contractor Rihoy & Son busy on site with phase one. Construction work started in March of this year and the new critical care unit is now out of the ground and running to the agreed schedule.
Phase 1 will be completed over two years and will deliver a new purpose-built critical care unit (CCU) with increased capacity from 7 to 12 beds to manage demand and support additional surgery, and a new post-anaesthesia recovery unit with 10 beds that can be swiftly converted to provide additional critical care beds (to support, for example, any future pandemic demands or other emergency situations). It will involve the refurbishment and extension of the old Ozanne Ward, extending the footprint to the south of the hospital.
The new CCU will feature modern single rooms with natural light and a new courtyard facility which is recognised to enhance patient experience and recovery. New staff and relatives’ facilities for CCU will be put in place as part of the phase 1 works.
It is a complex and challenging build that must finely balance the requirements of the project, alongside the need to maintain business as usual on an extremely busy hospital site. Staff, service users and visitors have been extremely patient and tolerant whilst these essential works are carried out – often having to navigate areas where, for example, corridors are closed, or access routes temporarily diverted.
The Hospital Modernisation Programme has been developed in phases to minimise disruption on the site and will deliver the programme within a seven-year time frame. The programme is reaching another key milestone with the finalisation of the preferred design for phase 2 of the programme and the development of the necessary planning applications. If approved, phase 2 is scheduled to start in 2024.
The preferred designs for phase 2, which have been developed following extensive consultation with staff and other key stakeholders, will include:
A three-floor extension built in the location of the current main entrance;
Significant refurbishment of existing spaces to update facilities and rearrange and improve the overall layout; and
A new main entrance linking all three levels to make access to any area of the hospital easier.
For more information on the hospital modernisation programme, visit ourfuture.gg
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Apprenticeship
The recent GBTEA gala dinner and awards recognised the achievements of the island’s apprentices, and their importance to the industry.
138 people, including His Excellency, The LieutenantGovernor, Lieutenant General Richard Cripwell CB, CBE and his wife, joined GBTEA members and guests, representatives from the Guernsey College apprenticeship team and their tutors, and the nominated apprentices along their employers for the 2022 awards.
This year’s awards included two new categories, ‘Island Operative Pathway 1’ and ‘Welding and Fabrication’. Each winning apprentice received an engraved tankard, a certificate of their achievement and a £150 voucher from their sponsor, supplied by R H Gaudion & Son Ltd.
Along with the sector specific awards, the overall winner of the evening and the new holder of the R G Falla Rose Bowl was announced as Adam Quinn, who received not only the trophy but a cheque for £300 from R G Falla Ltd.
The winning apprentices weren’t the only ones to benefit on the night - £911 was also raised for this year’s chosen charity, ‘St John Ambulance Guernsey’.
Winner:
Apprenticeship
Winner:
Apprenticeship
Chartered architect Oliver Brock of the Guernsey Society of Architects discusses the limitations of Guernsey’s opportunities for development.
BUILD ON BROWNFIELD SITES, AS THE CLAMOUR HAS DEMANDED RECENTLY, IS NOT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS IT SEEMS, UNLESS THE BROWNFIELD SITE HAS BEEN ONLY BARELY DEVELOPED, AS MIGHT BE THE CASE WITH REDUNDANT GLASSHOUSE SITES.
In the debate over whether to build new or to convert existing buildings, it is often assumed that conversion is an economically viable option. Unfortunately, unless a developer is able to secure a significant increase in functional floor area, the figures rarely stack up, especially where a material change of use triggers a requirement to upgrade building fabric to accommodate the latest building regulation requirements. When considering restricted sites in and around the town centre it is uncommon to find existing buildings that readily lend themselves to useful and practical conversion.
‘Build on brownfield sites’, as the clamour has demanded recently, is not as straightforward as it seems, unless the brownfield site has been only barely developed, as might be the case with redundant glasshouse sites. Unfortunately, there are few of these in the centre of town; they tend to be found more on the outskirts, the development of which only barely supports the spatial strategy of the Strategic Land Use Plan, and would most likely only offer up low-rise low-density development.
What we need to look for is parcels of land in and around the centre of town that are relatively flat, relatively undeveloped and which don’t make an important contribution to our cherished seafront or historic townscape. Ideally these should be accessible and under very few or just one ownership.
We can scour the aerial photographs of the island to find perhaps three or four of these parcels. Typically those that we can identify are currently used for single level car parking. There is an obvious one at the Odeon car park in Upland Road, but the covenants on the use of this land would require some brains with a much greater legal bias than mine to unravel. Nearby, on the other side of the Grange, is a group of private car parking areas between the Platon nursing home and Vauvert School.
In Hauteville there is a car park behind the Dorset Arms. These locations each offer approximately 2,000 square metres on footprint. It’s likely that as a society we’ll eventually fall out of love with the private motor car, but in the meantime these locations provide valuable congestion reducing vehicle parking for commuters and local residents.
Development could begin at first floor, covering the site area, and might yield any number of storeys of residential accommodation, perhaps enough for 30 or 40 two-three bedroom apartments each, and including amenity space, rooftop gardens and perhaps some leisure facilities. If we were in the more densely populated areas of the West Midlands in the UK, that kind of town centre development opportunity would be snatched up. Not just by a developer, but by end-purchasers off plan. The difference being that there would most likely already be some form of building shell to work with. The legacy of huge industrial buildings left over from the heyday of the canals and waterways in the cities and towns of that region has offered tall, clear span, open plan building structures ripe for conversion.
In Guernsey our built environment is made up of a tapestry of small footprint ownerships of low-rise buildings, with even smaller gaps between them. Developing open space in and around St Peter Port is a rare opportunity, and is complex and costly, and only by going big (high) can we expect to create a financial return that justifies the investment in such locations. What hope is there of squeezing more use out of our existing building stock on smaller plots when the sums just don’t offer any incentive? It isn’t so much that there is no brownfield land, it is that the cost of development of that land outweighs the end value when we limit ourselves to ‘more of the same’.
In October, the Chartered Institute of Building’s senior vice president Sandi Rhys Jones visited the Channel Islands, along with Marc Burton MBE FCIOB, our 2021 Construction Manager of the Year. They spent most of their time in Jersey, talking to CIOB members and the wider construction community.
It was very valuable visit, which started with a roundtable at which the organisers were delighted to have Suzanne Wylie, CEO of the Government of Jersey, as a panellist. Sandi took the opportunity to talk about the CIOB’s work on education and attracting young people to consider a career in construction, our Special Report on Diversity and Inclusion in Construction and the accompanying charter (more on which can be found on our website) and our recent report on lessons learnt during the pandemic.
This report, published in August, shows that since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, more than half of the SMEs surveyed have seen improvements to payment times, hygiene facilities and mental health support. It is encouraging to see some positives coming out of such a challenging time but there is still room for improvement within the industry. “Learning lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic to strengthen the construction industry” also offers recommendations for government, professional bodies and construction clients. It is also available for free to download from the CIOB website.
The roundtable event also provided more insights in the Design Engineer Construct (DEC!) programme, something in which Marc has been involved for years. I’ve written a little about this programme before as it has the potential to support the pipeline of talent into construction by putting construction and the built environment on the school curriculum.
It was also a great venue for this particular event - thank you to Highlands College, Jersey for hosting.
My thanks also to those who hosted site visits on for the CIOB visitors – they had the opportunity to go to two sites, with both projects being run by Chartered Building Companies, Camerons Ltd and ROK Construction. It’s worth flagging up our Chartered Building Company and Consultancy scheme – these are businesses that CIOB has assessed as being managed professionally and meeting ethical codes, allowing them to be recognised as a trusted resource by clients.
My thanks also to members of the National Association of Women in Construction’s new branch in Jersey – they met with Sandi and Marc on the Saturday and it already sounds like they have hit the ground running and are making fantastic progress.
It was great to hear there’s so much positive activity going on in Jersey and across the Channel Islands and great work by Sandi and Marc – and a whole host of others –in cheerleading for the sector and highlighting best practice where it’s taking place.
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.
IT IS ENCOURAGING TO SEE SOME POSITIVES COMING OUT OF SUCH A CHALLENGING TIME BUT THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.
With his focus set clearly on legislation and education, John Bampkin, chair of the Guernsey Construction Forum (GCF), discusses the factors that will affect the island’s future sustainability.
As reported elsewhere in this magazine, I was recently invited to be a panelist at the Guernsey Chamber of Commerce’s “Sustainable Building” event, which was attended by approximately 100 people with a keen interest in learning more about building sustainably and responsibly in the island.
At the end of the event the panel was asked for our thoughts on the key thing that would push Guernsey along at the right pace to achieve our aims of “net zero by 2050 or sooner”. The overwhelming response answered unequivocally that both an improvement in building regulations and tighter legislation, coupled with an education campaign, is the only way to make this happen at the pace that is required.
We all know that we could and should be doing more, but left to our own devices as a collective we are not moving fast enough to protect our incredibly precious and precarious eco-systems and living spaces. Richard Spinney, who is an expert in sustainability and engineering, came out with a great quote, “everyone wants to change the world but nobody wants to change themselves”. I believe this is mostly true and is the main reason why the human race, even when it is faced with a threat to its own existence, can still sometimes move too slowly.
Therefore, legislation forcing people to do the right thing is the only way forward if we are to speed up this process.
This would mean improving the building regulations to match that of the UK –something known as “Part L”. This would ensure that any new-build properties would be much more thermally efficient than they are required to be by today’s outdated standards. All the materials required to do this are readily available from the UK, who have been building to Part L for 12 years.
The other improvements necessary are around the education of both the construction industry at all levels and the general public or endclient. From the point of specification through to the person living or working in the property, a greater understanding on the options and solutions provided by today’s building materials and processes is needed. This will help us all make the right choices and ensure the quality of build is at the required levels for a resilient, effective and energy efficient structure.
This means that architects, manufacturers of the products and distributors of the products, along with the tradesmen themselves, all have a duty to get better at first understanding their subject and then educating others on the choices available and their impact.
To start the momentum, we at the GCF will be calling for a government-run body (similar to the newly created Development Agency) to be formed to head up this incredibly important subject. This should be representative of all sectors of the construction industry along with the main development bodies within government. Unless we have a joined-up approach the improvements we need to make will not happen quickly enough. We need the right plan, right infrastructure, right financial incentives and the right regulation changes to educate both the trades and the general population on the right way forward.
The human race is incredibly capable of creative thinking and action, resolving most of the world’s problems over the last few thousand years. We already have the answers to the questions we are currently faced with in terms of improving our own existence and minimising the impact on the places where we live and work. Yet we seem to be struggling to make the right moves with enough vigour and scale to have the necessary impact, even though we all know what we should be doing to help the situation.
RICHARD SPINNEY, WHO IS AN EXPERT IN SUSTAINABILITY AND ENGINEERING, CAME OUT WITH A GREAT QUOTE, EVERYONE WANTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD BUT NOBODY WANTS TO CHANGE THEMSELVES
Andrew Mills, chair of the Guernsey Occupational Safety and Health Association, has a warning to those in the industry about cable strikes and damage to other underground services.
If you would like to hear more about the topic, please come along to GOSHA’s breakfast meeting for a talk that will be given on the topic by Guernsey Electricity. Free breakfast rolls are available beforehand as an added incentive.
When: 8am on Thursday, 17 November
Where: La Villette Hotel
Cost: free to attend
Tickets: register your attendance at www.gosha.org.gg
We understand from the Guernsey Health and Safety Executive and our utility providers that there has been a number of unintended, negligent cable and other strikes of underground services by contractors and others in Guernsey in the past year.
These strikes can be costly to repair, disruptive and inconvenient. They are also very dangerous, often resulting in severe life changing injuries and even death.
It is hard to understand why they happen when there is so much free, helpful, easy to access information and guidance available to those who wish to excavate our ground in Guernsey.
Why risk your own life and the lives of others by not undertaking simple checks?
The risks are more than just the threat to life, however. The damage to your reputation, the potential for heavy fines and the severe disruption due to not taking simple precautions can be very damaging as well. Not to mention the damage strikes do and the costs of rectifying them, plus a number of consequential losses which arise when a service provided by a utility is forced out of action.
If you still feel complacent, unbothered or unconcerned by this situation, look at some of the horrific pictures on the internet of people injured or killed by strikes to underground utilities, and read about what happened to them and the consequences.
You can easily access sensible, free advice from our utility providers:
Guernsey Electricity www.electricity.gg Telephone: 01481 200700
Guernsey Energy www.guernseyenergy.gg Telephone: 01481 724811
Sure
www.sure.com Telephone: 01481 700700
Guernsey Water www.water.gg Telephone: 01481 229500
You can also call our HSE Team (www.gov. gg/hse). Alternatively, there is a range of consultancy advice available to businesses in Guernsey if needed – see the providers section of www.gosha.org.gg.
The HSE provides good guidance, which is also publicised by utilities in Guernsey.
This guidance is aimed at all those involved in commissioning, planning, managing and carrying out work on or near underground services. It will also be of use to the owners and operators of such facilities.
It outlines the potential dangers of working near underground services and gives advice on how to reduce any direct risks to people’s health and safety, as well as the indirect risks arising through damage to services.
It explains the three basic elements of a safe system of work during excavation:
• Planning the work
• Locating and identifying buried services
• Safe excavation
The HSE booklet “Avoiding danger from underground services” (see www.hse.gov.uk) gives guidance on how you can manage the risks of digging near underground cables.
Read it. It will help you and could save a life.
The chartered body for project management recently issued its updated five-year plan. One theme was that the operating environment for projects is now considered VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous). This acronym was first used by the US military to manage change during the early nineties in the aftermath of the removal of the Berlin Wall.
If we accept the world is now, more than ever, changing at pace, we must also recognise that there are increased pressures impacting on business strategy, projects, and the creative process that all projects have at their core. There may be conflicting opinions and emotions based on both fact and fiction surrounding change. More opinions will amplify the noise, which may in turn engulf project teams, stakeholders, and work up to the board level. This all may have a negative impact on our project, hindering progress and costing financially. But what can we do?
Organisational culture is a strong feature in mitigating these negative impacts. Do we see the promotion of a fixed mindset from those driving the project? Or do those driving the project avoid the realities of a situation due to other drivers, such as a performance bonus. The avoidance of project realities activates a stress cycle which raises the chance of mental fatigue and burnout. Indeed, it is well documented that the stress cycle reduces collaboration and increases defensive behaviour, leading to less trust and less creativity. This reduces the chance that the project will be delivered on time, on budget, or sometimes delivered at all.
But we know that it pays to improve mental health working conditions. The project guidance coach Carole Osterweil, for instance, in her Neuroscience for Project Success (2022), notes that Deloitte reported in 2020 that poor mental health cost UK businesses £45bn annually; and yet, for every £1 a business spent on improving mental health conditions, a return of £5 was realised.
We can foster an environment for project success in many ways; one is considered in my feature on diversity in an earlier issue of this magazine. Here, however, I would like to outline three further considerations.
Firstly, creating a sense of fairness across the project. Fairness will be based on several factors, ranging from individual to organisational perceptions of fairness, so it can be challenging to maintain. Elements of this may seem beyond our control at times. Fairness, however, is worth striving for, as fairness fosters collaboration and team spirit. This has recently been considered by an APM Research Fund Series paper on Fairness and Unfairness in Projects (2022).
Secondly, adopting a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset. This involves embracing a creative learning cycle, even if we are busy listening to what colleagues have to say, followed by discussion and due consideration. Every leader of a project will understand that honest, clear, and time-sensitive feedback is essential for project success or avoiding failure, as represented by either financial or reputational damage.
Thirdly, and in addition to the second point above, creating psychological safety. This involves making everyone feel comfortable to raise an issue, suggest an improvement, or hazard a method to overcome a problem without derision or blame. Your project team needs to engage rather than switch off their thinking brain. This only works through genuine encouragement of open minds and can easily be distorted by autocratic leadership or blame culture. Psychological safety can be measured via anonymous exercises to calculate it and rate it. Taking anonymous feedback regularly offers one way to safeguard the health of your project culture and nurture the potential for project success.
Scott Crittell, a Chartered Fellow of the Association for Project Management, argues that mindset matters when it comes to the success of projects.
EVERY LEADER OF A PROJECT WILL UNDERSTAND THAT HONEST, CLEAR, AND TIME-SENSITIVE FEEDBACK IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROJECT SUCCESS OR AVOIDING FAILURE.
Mark Baudains of the BTS Storage Centre looks at the many ways ‘going green’ can benefit the environment and your business.
Warehousing and logistics play a vital role in many businesses’ day to day operations, but they can also have a detrimental effect on the environment around them.
The great news is that many businesses appreciate and understand the issue and the positive impact they can have with the right approach.
It’s not just multinational corporations that can make a difference, everyone from local wholesalers and builders’ merchants to utility providers can help to encourage change.
USING HIGH DENSITY STORAGE SOLUTIONS CAN HELP TO PROVIDE BETTER WAREHOUSE SUSTAINABILITY. PUT SIMPLY, SYSTEMS SUCH AS THESE WILL ENABLE YOU TO STORE MORE IN LESS SPACE.
Opinions on how to achieve sustainability can vary but by following some best practices you can get some instant results.
I am sure we all recycle much of the waste we produce, but that should be the last resort. By far the simplest change you can make is by repurposing the material you receive your goods in. Can the box be used again? Can it be shredded and used as padding for your own deliveries or returns?
You can also make changes within your procurement policy and ensure those suppliers that wish to trade with you do the simple things right, such as using reused or 100% recyclable materials on their shipments to you.
This doesn’t just mean solar panels and sensors, although these are obviously highly effective and very important. You can also take advantage of natural light with the use of skylights or translucent roofing panels. Used in conjunction with thoughtfully considered layout of your storage equipment, you may not need your lights turned on all day.
Using high density storage solutions can help to provide better warehouse sustainability. Put simply, systems such as these will enable you to store more in less space. This is particularly
effective within areas that are temperature controlled as this can reduce the costs regarding energy used per pallet.
Just as important is to make sure that the storage equipment you choose is designed and installed to streamline the operations taking place within it. This includes procedures such as goods in, returns, picking, packing and goods out. Ensuring these flow smoothly will reduce the time taken across your entire operations, boosting efficiency.
Ensuring you or your contractors carry out PPM on your warehouse infrastructure, storage equipment and machinery can help to prevent shutdowns. Businesses that do so can increase safety and efficiency within their logistics facilities by anticipating and preventing problems through preventative maintenance.
Already implemented by the majority of businesses, printing unnecessary amounts of paperwork is still something many are guilty of. Ensuring we only print paper where it is absolutely necessary can have a huge impact on the sustainability of your business by simply reducing the manufacturing costs of the paper alone, and that’s before considering the energy required to recycle.
Thankfully this type of guidance is readily available from companies operating within the storage equipment and logistics business, and concepts such as the green logistics framework are now in place.
These include sustainable policies and measures designed to reduce the environmental impact caused by companies within this industry. There are clear objectives to measure carbon footprints, reduce pollution and improve the design of products and packaging to minimise their impact on the environment.
Sustainability, when fully understood, not only impacts the world in a positive way but can save businesses money too, surely a win win situation.
The brainchild of local architect, Charlie Hodder of CCD, the St Peter Port Sketch Club has seen dozens of people take to Town’s streets this summer. Combining a love of art with an appreciation of the island’s historic architecture, the sketch club has encouraged islanders to pick up a pen and record the streets of St Peter Port.
When Charlie Hodder was working in London, his large firm had a weekly sketch club to encourage employees to leave their computer screens and improve their observational skills. For him, it was both a useful way of understanding his environment and an enjoyable way to spend some time. When he returned to Guernsey, he was keen to continue the hobby and the St Peter Port Sketch Club was born.
“As an architect, I think drawing is a really important skill in itself. But studying the town in the way we do has other benefits,” said Charlie. “I think people who are good at reading the street and noticing all the little details are also the ones who tend to design better buildings when they’re back in the office.”
But while the sketch club has architectural merit, it also has plenty of artistic appeal. The group is not just aimed at architects –anyone with an interest in drawing or simply in St Peter Port is very welcome to come along and try their hand. The group meets weekly during the summer months to draw the buildings, streets and squares of Town. Sketching takes place for around 45 minutes to an hour, with all work to be completed in that time. The group then heads for a social drink to examine their work.
This year group members have ranged from seven to 70-plus with a wide range of skills and backgrounds. For Charlie, that breadth is important, “Many of the people who have come along have had no prior experience of drawing or of drawing the urban environment, and have been very surprised at what they begin to notice and how much their drawing skills improve. All you need is a sketch book and a pencil or pen and a willingness to give it a go.”
One of those who was willing to give it a try was Charlie’s colleague, Stuart Pearce, who has been a keen member of the sketching group this summer. For him it’s been a really rewarding pastime, “I think it’s tempting to take it too seriously so we really encourage everyone not to overthink it and just enjoy the process. I hadn’t sketched in this way before, my work tended to be very accurate depictions of elevations of buildings. When I first came to the sketch club that was exactly what I tried to do, but as the weeks went on it’s encouraged me to develop my skills and my work now is completely different. I have such an appreciation of being able to look at a streetscape and consider it in a completely different way. I’ve really got the sketching bug – I now pop out in my lunchbreak to see what I can find to draw.”
Luckily Guernsey, and St Peter Port in particular, offers a wealth of options. This year the group visited 19 different locations. The first week started in the heart of St Peter Port at Market Square before moving on to draw the Town Church, the High Street and the quay side. As the weeks go on, the group moved further out to draw all of the significant public spaces in Town such as Trinity Square, Candie Gardens, L’Hyvreuse, Clifton and the Mignot Plateau.
With the nights drawing in, the sketch club has stopped for this year but the group will no doubt be keen to pick up their pencils again next summer.
An exhibition of all the drawings from the St Peter Port Sketch Club will soon be taking place at the Gate House Gallery on the Grange.
The exhibition opening night will be from 6 to 8pm on Thursday 17 November, with free admission during gallery opening hours on Saturday 19 November.
Follow @stpp.sketch.club on Instagram for more information about the club and when drawing sessions will recommence in 2023. Social media not your thing?
Contact Charlie Hodder at CCD on mail@ccd-architects.com or 01481 726461.
The latest monitoring report into Guernsey’s Island Development Plan has been released, covering areas from housing to hotels. We’ve been crunching the numbers to see what’s going on.
The number of dwellings which were approved 185 private market 1 affordable housing
The total number of dwellings with planning permission 514 private market 17 affordable housing
The dwellings under construction 301 private market 16 affordable housing
The number of planning permissions relating to office accommodation
Premises are classified as Prime
Premises are classified as Secondary
Premises are classified as Tertiary
Permissions granted for gain in floor space
Permissions related to a loss in floorspace
