Fermain cliff path to be re-routed before any wall repairs

Thursday 27 April 2023

The States are “pressing ahead” to re-route the cliff path around Fermain Bay to improve safety nine years after the cliff collapsed just metres from the current path, also destroying part of the wall in the process.

Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, President of Environment & Infrastructure, told the States Assembly yesterday that “coastal defence work that protects key infrastructure is obviously given the highest priority,” with difficult decision now having to be made in “the current fiscal climate”.

But she added that access around the bay via the cliffs would be maintained ahead of any structural repairs to the wall, which is not designated as a true coastal defence and represents the biggest capital cost.

“While we are open to reassessing options in light of budget constraints for the Napoleonic wall at Fermain, we are pressing ahead with the rerouting of the cliff path - an essential part of the project because, like the Cow's Horn, the biggest structural problem is the cliff itself, and we are keen to maintain access to that fantastic natural asset that is our stunning coastline,” she said.

However, Deputy De Sausmarez was unable to give any timeframe of when the re-routing works would commence.

Pictured: Work to restore access to Clarence Battery is also being progressed, albeit at a slower pace because of poor interest in tenders. 

The cliff face at Fermain has continually eroded with each storm since it collapsed in 2014, creeping further back to the pathway. 

Rock armour was placed in front of the collapsed wall to prevent additional sea damage and to discourage people from climbing over it.

Successive E&I Committees have gone to tender but no contractor has put themselves forward for the repair job. However, in 2021 it was reported that a local consultant was investigating options for the job.

Work to restore access to Clarence Battery from La Vallette is continuing but has been split into phases after also suffering from no responses to multiple tenders.

Deputy de Sausmarez said: “An invitation to tender for the necessary geotechnical survey work has been issued and interest already received, so we hope that the design work will be complete in the summer, with construction to follow planning approval later this year."

Deputy de Sausmarez also said the placement of fresh rock armour in front of the L’Ancresse anti-tank wall is set to complete ahead of schedule, within the next few weeks, in time for peak beach season.

The projected cost for the re-armouring is approximately £250,000.

Repointing work at Havelet, Catioroc and Perelle is nearing completion too.