Guernsey Development Agency charts pathway forward to deliver Bridge projects
- Guernsey Development Agency receives endorsement to progress short-term enhancement projects for St Sampson's from its Political Oversight Group
- Approved projects include walking and cycling routes, new bus station, Bridge retail area improvements and family community area with play facilities
- Vale Castle accessibility upgrades, Marine Centre and improvements to La Crocq and Abraham's Bosom piers also included in plans
- Agency will engage with landowners and authorities to develop plans and cost estimates before community consultation
- Business & Funding Plan required before States of Deliberation approval and construction commencement
The Guernsey Development Agency has been backed to progress with some short-term enhancement projects for St Sampson's.
Short-term projects include a network of scenic walking and cycling routes around St Sampson's harbour, and a new sheltered bus station to improve public transport.
Improvements to the Bridge retail area are planned, creating an attractive pedestrian-friendly waterfront destination with opportunities for enhanced hospitality and retail. A new family-focused community area featuring a children's play area and café is also included in the plans.
Improvements to Vale Castle facilities are proposed, including accessibility upgrades and infrastructure to support community events and tourism.
The agency wants to create a Marine Centre, moving marine maintenance businesses and boat storage facilities to coordinate land use. The plans also include creating a more flexible community space at La Crocq and Abraham's Bosom piers while preserving their important maritime heritage and landmarks.
The agency submitted its proposal of enhancement works for St Sampson's to the States of Guernsey earlier this year, covering housing, transport, harbours, flood defence and infrastructure issues in a single, coordinated programme.
The projects, developed in line with States policies, included enhancements achievable in the short term as well as longer-term projects that will await strategic decisions from the States of Deliberation.
The longer-term projects are dependent on decisions including the future approach to harbours, the island's fuel importation strategy and the electricity interconnector. These will also await progress within ongoing work such as coastal flood defences and inert waste.
The Political Oversight Group, comprising the presidents of the Policy & Resources Committee, the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure and the Committee for Economic Development, agreed that the short-term projects can now move forward.
Simon Kildahl, non-executive director of the Guernsey Development Agency, said: "The Bridge and the surrounding area deserve to be somewhere our community and visitors come to, not just drive through. It deserves the same high-quality public amenities, modern infrastructure, and vibrant public spaces enjoyed by St Peter Port."
"There is a significant opportunity to make real positive improvements here and we hope that these new enhancements will be enjoyed by local residents and those that choose to visit the area including tourists," he added.
The agency will now begin to engage with landowners and the relevant authorities to develop plans and cost estimates for the enhancements, which will be shared for consultation with the wider community, local experts, businesses and residents in due course.
The Guernsey Development Agency has been tasked with the preparation of a Business & Funding Plan, setting out the funding requirements and approach to delivery of these projects. This will require approval from the States of Deliberation.
Mr Kildahl said: "These are the next steps in a long-term development programme for St Sampson. There is huge benefit in aligning the related workstreams in the future but we are very pleased to be able to progress these projects in the short term to deliver real tangible benefit to the community."
"We look forward to sharing more details on these projects as we progress plans alongside our St Sampsons and Vale neighbours over the coming months," he added.
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, president of the Policy & Resources Committee, said: "The States has agreed that one of its super priorities this political term is to determine and design future habours infrastructure, and the GDA's role is key. This more focused approach they are taking is a very practical way of bringing forward improvements that will help to revitalise the area around St. Sampson's Harbour and the Bridge. With the redevelopment of Leale's Yard progressing as well, there will be a lot going on in this important part of the island over the next few years."
The Guernsey Development Agency also continues to support Guernsey Waste with the design of the island's preferred inert waste site, Black Rock.
The Guernsey Development Agency was established by the States of Guernsey in 2023 to deliver enhancements to the east coast of Guernsey by securing developments that offer economic, social and environmental benefits to the island. The current interim chair is James Ede-Golightly, and the non-executive board member is Simon Kildahl.
Q&A
Q: What short-term projects have been approved for St Sampson's?
A: The approved projects include a network of scenic walking and cycling routes around St Sampson's harbour, a new sheltered bus station, improvements to the Bridge retail area, a new family-focused community area with play facilities and café, Vale Castle accessibility upgrades, a Marine Centre for marine maintenance businesses, and improvements to La Crocq and Abraham's Bosom piers.
Q: What needs to happen before construction can begin?
A: The Guernsey Development Agency must first engage with landowners and relevant authorities to develop plans and cost estimates. These will then be shared for consultation with the community, local experts, businesses and residents. A Business & Funding Plan must be prepared and approved by the States of Deliberation before construction can commence.
Q: What longer-term projects are still awaiting approval?
A: Longer-term projects await strategic decisions from the States of Deliberation including the future approach to harbours, the island's fuel importation strategy and the electricity interconnector. These will also await progress within ongoing work such as coastal flood defences and inert waste.
Background and history
The push to regenerate Guernsey's east coast has its roots in centuries of harbour history. St Sampson's Harbour emerged from 1820 after the Braye du Valle tidal channel was drained and reclaimed by the British Government in 1806 as a defence measure. The harbour became central to the island's granite export industry, with annual granite shipments surging from 7,000 tons in 1822 to 142,866 tons by 1861. The area, known as the Bridge after the old crossing that once connected the two parts of Guernsey, became a bustling maritime and industrial centre for nearly two centuries. Successive States assemblies recognised the need to revitalise this vital infrastructure. By 2013, flood studies by Royal Haskoning had flagged mitigating flood risks as a key enabler for regeneration, with proposals featuring in the States' pipeline infrastructure programme for several political terms. The Policy and Resources Committee was directed by the States Assembly to explore establishing a development agency at their July 2021 meeting on future harbour requirements, after proposals to move commercial port activity away were identified as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the Bridge. The Guernsey Development Agency was formally established in July 2023, though its budget was cut from £500,000 to £100,000 in April 2023. An October 2023 survey received 3,650 comments from 1,120 people, with 70% agreeing the east coast needed change. In December 2024, States members approved £1.6 million for detailed work. However, the agency has operated under constraints: Peter Watson, appointed the first chairman in 2023, resigned in June 2026 expressing frustration at what he described as the agency being hamstrung by the system it was designed to improve. His resignation came as the GDA continued to develop plans for the Bridge area, including flood defences, housing, and marine facilities, though these remained dependent on strategic decisions from the States regarding harbours, fuel importation and electricity interconnection.
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