Hopes that Open Market listing will be catalyst for further investment into Vale Mill project
- The Vale Mill will be one of the first properties added to Guernsey’s Open Market register under new legislation.
- The mill has received an 'inscription in principle' due to its historical significance.
- Plans for the mill include converting it into a six-floor four-bedroom home with modern features.
- The restoration aims to secure investment and preserve this culturally important site.
The Vale Mill is set to become one of the first properties listed on Guernsey's Open Market register under recently introduced regulations.
The mill has been granted an 'inscription in principle' under the 'exceptional circumstances' section of the legislation due to its historical significance.
Located on Hougue du Moulin, the 21-metre high building is listed on Guernsey’s protected building register and will be fully inscribed on Part A of the Open Market register once the development has been completed in accordance with approved planning permissions.
The States’ Planning Service has already given permission for the property to be transformed into a six-floor, four-bedroom home, including an observation deck, underground extension, terrace, garage, floating sunroom, and walkways around its adjoining quarry.
James Ridout, director of Vale Mill Limited, has been leading the restoration efforts to prepare the property for habitation and further development. Work included repointing the stonework to ensure that the mill is structurally sound, as well as making it wind and water-tight.
“The Part A inscription is an important step in securing the future of what is a hugely important building for Guernsey’s history,” Ridout remarked.
He added that without this inscription, further investment would be unfeasible, and there could be a risk of the building falling into disrepair and potentially being lost permanently.
The Quarry
He continued, “We believe the Open Market listing will attract the level of investment needed to ensure the exciting plans for Vale Mill can come to fruition – safeguarding a historically and culturally important building for future generations and creating a modern state-of-the-art home of which Guernsey can be proud.”
Property agent Savills provided consultancy advice throughout the Open Market application process and has been tasked with marketing Vale Mill when it becomes available later this year.
Nick Paluch, residential director, said, “Vale Mill promises to be a landmark property of the highest quality – something that’s unique to the Open Market and offering exactly the sort of diversity that’s needed if the island is to continue to attract new investment.”
Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, Vice-President of the Housing Committee, said it was very pleased to award an inscription in principle to this proposed development.
“The recent introduction of the new Open Market Part A inscription policy provides a number of tools to use Open Market inscriptions to encourage the development of homes and to preserve buildings that form part of our historic and cultural heritage.
"The award of this inscription in principle should help bring the significant investment that a property of this unique nature requires."
The Vale Mill has a history dating back to 1770 when it was initially built from wood and was later reconstructed in granite in 1854. It functioned as a flour windmill until the German occupation in 1940, during which it was repurposed as an observation tower.
After being gifted to the States in 1968, it was sold into private ownership in 2008.
The approved planning permission for the mill includes converting the structure into a four-bedroom home featuring a kitchen dining area, utility room, and breakfast room alongside a substantial basement extension extending over the quarry. The top two former German observation levels are slated for potential office or entertainment uses.
Completion of the project will come with an underground connection linking the mill with an extension to be built into the rock face of the adjoining quarry. This extension will incorporate large windows opening onto a balcony deck, with plans also in place for a walkway from the main house leading to a floating summer house.
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