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Rules over allowing scaffolding in town during the peak summer months have had to change as older buildings often need more intensive work to ensure their stability.
Concerns were raised after work started on a multi-million pound development on the High Street last month.
While Creaseys project to redevelop the former HSBC building has been universally welcomed, it did leave some pondering why the work has started in the middle of the tourism season when, historically, scaffolding is supposed to be taken down between May and September.
Creaseys and its builder Rihoy's waited until after the Island Games to start work, acknowledging the visual impact the scaffolding will have on the High Street during this long-term work.
But the building work will be underway during the final two months of the summer which used to be seen as a no-go.
Pictured: The St Peter Port Parish website states that "the erection of scaffolding is discouraged between 1st May and 15th September each year...".
The St Peter Port Parish website says that unless there are "structural or safety implications", or "if the application is for a long-term development" - as in the case of the Creasey's project - the use of scaffolding is discouraged during the summer.
The parish website says concerns over scaffolding include the impact on traders, traffic management and safe pedestrian access.
The parish is not responsible for allowing or disallowing scaffolding though - that responsibility lies with the Health & Safety Executive and Traffic & Highway Services which issue permits for scaffolding on the public highway.
Town Constable, Jenny Tasker said: "The Constables are no longer able to ensure that scaffolding is down during the Summer months. It is the role of Traffic & Highways and many times companies have to have scaffolding in place for longer than used to be the case because in the older buildings more work is found to be necessary than originally thought.
"It does concern many people that obstructions like this do create problems for pedestrians particularly those who have mobility problems or children in buggies. We do question the length of time scaffolding is up, particularly where no work seems to be taking place but that is all we can do now."
Pictured: Creasey's is investing millions of pounds on the High Street and tried to avoid the busiest visitor season this year before it started work.
Work has started on the multi-million pound project to connect the former HSBC premises at 13 High Street with Creasey's department store at 15-19 High Street.
"Rihoy & Son has been on site since 3 July but had to wait until after Guernsey finished hosting the Island Games to begin erecting scaffolding along the town’s seafront," said the retailer.
"The scaffolding will completely envelop 13 High Street, the Quayside façade and part of the roof of 15 – 21 High Street, so that demolition and rebuild of 13 High Street can begin."
The project is expected to take three years to be fully completed.
Pictured: Artists Tiffany Anna and her mum Susie recently gave the Richmond Kiosk a colourful face-lift. Tiffany will soon be decorating the building hoardings around Creasey's too.
While the building work may take three years, the visual impact of the work during that time is likely to vary with a local artist in talks over decorating hoardings which will be used to keep the public out of the site itself.
Tiffany Anna recently painted the Richmond kiosk to much public acclaim.
She is awaiting final permissions to start work in town on the Creasey's site.
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