Chamber’s Industry Groups – including Blue Economy, Retail, Infrastructure, Tourism and Sustainability – are asking to be consulted in the States’ broad vision document for the eastern seaboard/harbour area so that the island’s business expertise and insight can be applied to the project.

The States has just published it’s ideal plan:

Seafront Enhancement Area Programme: What comes after the ‘six sites’?

The Seafront Enhancement Area (SEA) Programme has seen significant progress in 2019 in engaging with public for new ideas to improve and develop six specific sites on the St Peter Port seafront.

Preferred bidders for four of those sites (two sites at La Vallette, Round Top Stores and the States Offices which house the Tourist Information Centre) have now been announced. We are in discussions with interested parties for the two other sites (Vivier Bunker and North Plantation) and expect to make further announcements for both of those very soon.

Of even greater significance for the Island, however, is the SEA Steering Group’s preparation for the main phase of the SEA programme. In 2020, the Steering Group will begin looking at a more coordinated, holistic approach to enhancement opportunities for the whole of the seafront.

The SEA programme set out its vision, to “position Guernsey’s east coast as a world class maritime location, thereby enhancing the socio-economic wellbeing of Guernsey as a whole.” This year feedback was been gathered at a workshop of representatives from more than 20 stakeholder groups involved or affected by the seafront to establish a list of suggested priorities for how this vision can be achieved, and what the main phase of the programme should seek to address.

Using these suggested priorities, the Steering Group developed a number of statements of intent, which are as follows:

  • Enhance the contribution of Guernsey’s arts sector, through the provision of facilities that enable the creation and display of both local and international arts.
  • Undertake development that increases the environmental contribution of Guernsey’s east coast.
  • Evaluate movement along the seafront with the aim of creating an appropriate balance of pedestrian and motor vehicle activity in the area.
  • Enhance the contribution of Guernsey’s retail sector, through development that encourages greater footfall in the main centre inner areas along Guernsey’s east coast.
  • Provide infrastructure that enables both the effective operation of, and maximises the socio-economic contribution of, the Harbours.
  • Enhance the economic contribution of Guernsey’s tourist industry through development that focuses on (a) recreational activities, including enhancing Guernsey’s culture and leisure offering, (b) providing suitable visitor accommodation, and (c) improving existing transport infrastructure.
  • Support Guernsey’s fishing industry through development that provides suitable infrastructure to enable the effective operation of the industry.
  • Maximise opportunities for the provision of open space along Guernsey’s east coast.
  • Support Guernsey’s leisure boat industry through development that provide suitable infrastructure and facilities that will benefit both local and visiting yachtsmen.
  • Undertake development that increases the connection between people and place.
  • Address the impact of parking in St Peter Port by relocating the parking away from the surface of the piers, without reducing (a) the number of spaces in the St Peter Port main centre inner area, and (b) the ease of access into the St Peter Port main centre inner area.
  • Provide infrastructure that protects Guernsey’s east coast from predicted sea level rise over the next century.
  • Investigate the potential for Guernsey to increase its production of marine based renewable energy.
  • Support Guernsey’s cruise liner industry through development that (a) improves the ease of transferring passengers to and from ships, and (b) enhances the cultural and recreation offer of Guernsey’s east coast for cruise passengers.
  • Investigate the potential for Guernsey to become a premier destination for the berthing of superyachts.
  • Investigate the need for development to meet demand for business premises and housing.

An overview of this stakeholder workshop, including the views of the stakeholders and the rationale of the Steering Group in developing the statements of intent, can now be found online at gov.gg/seafront and anyone wishing to add their views can do so by emailing seafront.enhancement@gov.gg.

During the course of 2020, more details on how the Steering Group intends to progress this main phase will be released. This will involve identifying and engaging with the right stakeholders to enable the Steering Group to fully investigate the benefits and deliverability of each of the above statements of intent. This will be an essential part of determining what should be planned into an overall long-term strategy for the area. Hearing the views of the community will again play a key role in influencing the Steering Group’s decision making process.

Deputy Barry Brehaut, member of the SEA Steering Group said:

“Our ambition is to see the seafront do more both for our economy and our wellbeing. We started by looking at six specific sites, but this was always just going to be a starting point. We now need to look at the much bigger task of how we develop the seafront as a whole to achieve the many ambitions we and the community have. Our seafront is one of the jewels in the Bailiwick’s crown and we mustn’t lose what makes it special, but there is no doubt it is has unrealised potential and it’s time we got on with doing something about that.”