Guernsey’s Policy and Resources Committee has published a policy letter proposing the establishment of a development agency to drive economic, environmental and social regeneration on the island’s east coast.
The States Assembly directed the Policy & Resources Committee to undertake this work at their July 2021 meeting on Guernsey’s future harbour requirements.
Policy & Resources Committee member, Deputy Mark Helyar (pictured) said: “There has been significant support for this idea for a number of years, from States Members, from the community, from business representative bodies. Other jurisdictions and regions have used the model of a development agency with great success, taking general principals and adapting them to fit the local context, and that is exactly what the Policy & Resources Committee is doing.
“Establishing a development agency will enable development and regeneration projects to be delivered with the certainty and stability required for long-term projects, including through the establishment of effective community partnerships and increased community participation.
“The development agency will be owned by the States of Guernsey and be responsible for implementing the States of Guernsey’s strategic direction for regeneration, which will be discussed at the March States meeting.
“It will be a delivery vehicle, managing land assets on behalf of the States in the seafront enhancement area, establishing commercial partnerships and working with developers and the community to deliver regeneration projects. Its aim will be to maximise the value of States assets to the community, including from commercial,
environmental and social perspectives.”
The development agency will enable the delivery of other priorities, including:
- Setting out a clear plan for Guernsey’s future harbour requirements, in consultation with Guernsey Ports, the States’ Trading Supervisory Board, the Development and Planning Authority and the Principal Committees of the States;
- Supporting the development of economic and environmental opportunities in the blue economy and the green economy;
- Enhancing the visitor economy through investing in Guernsey’s tourism product and heritage;
- Supporting the development of a Bridge strategy;
- Making the centres of St Peter Port and St Sampson’s more attractive as places to live, as well as work, whilst also meeting current housing needs through new homes in regeneration projects;
- Supporting decarbonisation of the Island by taking into account the States’ long-term energy objectives in regeneration projects;
- Providing increased momentum to complete essential infrastructure maintenance and coastal defence projects and harbour maintenance whilst building resilience to climate change and helping to mitigate and reduce environmental risk;
- Bringing forward development opportunities through implementation of the Development Frameworks for the Regeneration Areas adjacent to the harbours; and
- Bringing forward development opportunities through implementation of the Local Planning Briefs for St Peter Port Harbour Action Area and St Sampson’s Harbour Action Area.
The development agency will be fully accountable to the States and will report its progress to the States on an annual basis, beginning at the end of its first year of establishment. The States will set the strategic direction for the development agency to work and the operational principles to which the development agency will work. It will also approve the appointments of the chair and board members of the development agency and agree the funding for the development agency.
A political oversight group will discharge the shareholder function in respect of the development agency on behalf of the States. It will also ensure that States processes do not unduly inhibit the ability of the development agency to discharge its responsibilities or meet its objectives, and will seek to ensure any barriers to progress are removed.
The independent board and chair will be recruited through an open and transparent recruitment process.
Deputy Helyar said: “Our community and many in our political body rightly encourage the States to use expertise from outside the States to get things done more effectively and without further increasing the size of government. This proposal fits right into that approach. The debate we are asking the States to have is not about what the development agency should do. That comes next, if the States agrees to establish a development agency.
“This proposal does ask the States to cede some of its control, as many other places in the British Isles have. If the model is not right for Guernsey we can change and adapt it – but we have to take a first step in order to drive investment in our infrastructure and environment, and this is that first step.”
The Guernsey International Business Association (GIBA), the local branch of the Institute of Directors (IoD) support the establishment of a development agency to facilitate regeneration and infrastructure projects, such as the enhancement of the east coast.
GIBA and IoD said: “It is widely accepted that government infrastructure spending helps to diversify economies and pays economic dividends. It is also clear that the island faces – and must rise to – the challenge of climate change.
“We believe a development agency will have the focus, coordination and expertise to drive the Bailiwick’s economic, environmental and social regeneration. By devolving a level of responsibility in this way, projects will be able to move forward more efficiently and utilise the expertise available from the private sector and social enterprises, whilst following the direction and operational principles set out by the States of Guernsey.
“The principles of independence, transparency and accountability are crucial. We welcome the structure proposed and reaffirm Deputy Helyar’s comment that Guernsey should use expertise from outside of the States of Guernsey to get projects started without increasing the size of government. This is something which we believe is both economically sound and in the interests of all islanders.
“The findings of 2020’s Scrutiny Management Committee report which looked into States capital spending, showed a chronic underspend and highlighted a number of reasons for inaction. In addition, the establishment of a development agency was included in the top 10 priorities for the Government Work Plan. We therefore strongly support this policy letter as a first step towards starting some critical infrastructure projects – many of which have been under discussion for over a decade.”
