Harbour plans progress but no decisions made

Friday 24 May 2019

More than a million pounds will be set aside to pay for further research into whether Guernsey can extend either St Peter Port or St Sampson's harbours.

Following this week's States debate on a requête which called for deputies to back plans to use construction waste and other rubble as building materials to modernise Guernsey's main port of entry, the plans were instead approved in a heavily amended format.

The original proposals, put forward by Deputy Neil Inder and former master mariner Deputy Barry Paint, among other signatories, wanted St Peter Port to replace Longue Hougue South as the preferred location for dumpling inert waste, with an initial 25-year plan which could have seen a new ro-ro ramp jetty created among other suggested improvements.

Pictured: The suggested phase 1 of the work, which has now been amended. 

Instead, the States backed an amendment put forward by Deputy Peter Ferbrache and Deputy Charles Parkinson. They failed to get support for a plan to move freight services out of town, so the island's main harbour could instead focus on visitors and pleasure boaters.

All their other proposals were accepted meaning now the island will spend more than £1.5million on a 'detailed analysis' of the existing harbour and what improvements can be made.

Good, sensible discussions by @HeidiSoulsby and Dep Brouard. #harbourrequete this is the current view. I can’t see how the extension would change the view? @Govgg @tothevale @BlueLeader19 pic.twitter.com/5VWeqytu99

— Chad Murray (@capt_murray) May 23, 2019

While some saw the success of the amendment as defeat for the plans to extend St Peter Port Harbour, others have said they're confident in the proposed consultation and that it wlll still lead to St Peter Port Harbour being modernised.

Deputy Inder, as the proposer of the requête was confident St Peter Port Harbour remains in play as the potential location for dumping inert waste.

He tweeted that he has confidence in the States Trading Supervisory Board which will now coordinate the research.