The potential for a new marina in St Peter Port will be the subject of discussion for local sixth form students over the next fortnight.
Guernsey Ports programme manager Jenny Giles will take part in sessions this Thursday at the Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre, and another for students of The Ladies’ College and Elizabeth College on Friday 9 December.
A-Level Business Studies students from Year 12 and 13 at the Sixth Form Centre will be involved in two sessions, which will look at various aspects of the investigations.
The project is looking at the feasibility and business model for a new, all tide accessible marina in St Peter Port Harbour. Besides carrying out detailed technical surveys, the project team has also completed a demand study, which looked at the leisure marine market in Guernsey, as well as marinas in the south of England and Jersey.
This identified other locations are now providing more bigger berths, in line with a trend of owners buying larger vessels. However a lack of space and limited supply in local marinas means this demand is not currently being met in Guernsey, which may be limiting growth in the local leisure marine sector. There was also evidence that facilities provided locally have fallen below those available elsewhere.
Surveys of visitors and local boat owners have also been carried out, to help inform the concept design and business model.
Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre Head of Business Studies, Erich Hauptfleisch, said the marina project provided an interesting local case study, which was currently topical and relevant to various elements of A-Level Business Studies syllabus.
“The market demand studies, customer surveys, and business model development are all very relevant for our students, as they look at aspects such as operational management, strategic management and direction, and macroeconomics. It will be interesting for them to be able to apply what they have been learning to a real life and current case study,” he said.
The demand study is helping to inform the business model for a new marina, which Guernsey Ports has said could benefit the island’s economy. That includes a boost to the visitor economy through the improved leisure marine offering, new opportunities for the local marine services sector, and the potential to attract high net worth individuals to relocate here.
The States’ Trading Supervisory Board, which is responsible for Guernsey Ports, is due to present recommendations to the States next year. In the meantime, islanders are currently being asked for their views on the principle of a new marina in St Peter Port, so any feedback can be reflected in those proposals.
Comments can be submitted here (where details can also be found about the technical surveys and demand study).
The consultation concerns the water space within the harbour, not landside arrangements. The use of the adjacent areas, including the piers, North Beach and Castle Emplacement will be the subject of a separate public consultation, to help develop a detailed Local Planning Brief for the area from La Vallette to Salerie Corner. That is expected to begin next year.
