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Festung Guernsey has submitted a planning application for the first phase of a long-term plan to turn the World War 2 bunkers on the Fort Hommet headland into a heritage trail.
The application hopes to excavate, landscape and reinstate a PAK shelter and garage near the current car parks, and create pathways to make them more accessible to the public.
Over time, the group also hopes to connect the shelter, bunkers, and the restored gun casemate to mains power; installing lighting, heating and dehumidifiers to preserve the internal fittings.
Project Co-ordinator for Festung Guernsey, Paul Bourgaize, hopes their efforts will make more of Guernsey’s history accessible to Bailiwick residents and tourists to the island.
“We're proposing to excavate and open a number of other bunkers, and carry out major landscaping work to improve access and create a heritage trail around the headland” he said.
Pictured: the proposed new look of the PAK shelter and garage on the Fort Hommet headland.
"The headland was dramatically altered when the fortifications were backfilled post-war, and large quantities of quarry overburden was used to build up the areas around the bunkers.
"Interpretation boards at various locations would ensure that visitors to the site could benefit from the experience, even at times when the bunkers are closed."
Fort Hommet was one of twelve 'strongpoints' built on the island during the Occupation; the German forces referred to it as 'Stutzpunkt Rotenstein'. The castle the German structures were built around dates as far back as 1680.
It housed two searchlight bunkers, a machine gun turret, an automatic mortar, and five 'casemates' which were designed to protect gunners while the machine guns and anti-tank gun were in use. The PAK shelter and garage would have housed an additional anti-tank gun; the crew would have been protected in the shelter below during its operation, and it was stored in the garage when not in use.
The original armoured steel roof for the garage was found last year in the Marine & General boat yard, who donated it to Festung Guernsey, allowing it to be reinstated.
Pictured: The application for the Fort Hommet headland is available on the States of Guernsey website, and islanders have until 8 January 2021 to make representations regarding the plans.
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