LW #1

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2011 #1

Liberty Wharf

St Helier

dynamic new quarter for Jersey’s capital

plus ❑ historical blends with contemporary in liberty wharf ❑ successful public art is priceless

WINNER WO R L D ’ S B E S T L U X U RY C O U N T RY H OT E L — 2 0 0 9 & 2010 —

Lough Eske Castle is part of the Solís Group of Hotels

Lough Eske Castle Donegal Town, Co. Donegal Ireland www.solislougheskecastle.ie

T +353 (0)74 97 25100 F +353 (0)74 97 23762 E sales.lougheske@solishotels.com

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2011 #1

04 History

Jersey’s dynamic history under the spotlight, from the building of St Helier’s harbours to the arrival of Queen Victoria

11 Introduction

Small island, huge potential: an international financial centre, distinct from – but linked to – the UK, with a strong French flavour

18 officeS and Apartments

High quality corporate HQs can be game-changing for large companies, while serviced workspace and apartments make it so easy for visitors to do business on the move in Jersey

26 Retail

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Jersey’s unique heritage development, Liberty Wharf, an unmissable opportunity for retail and leisure operators

32 case study EXECUTIVE editor: Kirsty MacAulay editor: Siobhán Crozier Freelance editor: Sarah Herbert Art DIRECTOR: Terry Hawes production Editor: Rachael Schofield Contributors: Alex Aspinall, Paul Coleman, Charlotte Goodworth, David Gray, Noella Pio Kivlehan head of business development: Paul Gussar Office manager: Sue Mapara Managing director: Toby Fox Images: Matt Porteous, Jersey Heritage Trust, Jersey Tourism, Richard Lumborg, Danny Evans, Gareth Sambridge, Natalie Mayer, Axis Mason Architects, Antoni Tycznski, Harcourt Developments, Roger Kohn, Cliff Hubby Printed by: Wyndeham Grange

Published by: Lower Ground Floor 189 Lavender Hill London SW11 5TB T: 020 7978 6840 F: 020 7681 3468 For Harcourt Developments:

How a disused abattoir in St Helier was transformed into a Covent Garden-style development, preserving its heritage details

36 public art

A firm belief in the value of art is matched by Harcourt Developments’ investment in original public artworks

41 Markets

A round-up of facts and figures about Jersey, its economy and its residential, commercial and leisure markets 18/19 Harcourt Street Dublin 2 Ireland T: +353 (0) 1 475 3928 F: + 353 (0) 1 475 3943

© 3Fox International Limited 2011.

All material is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written ­permission of 3Fox International Limited is strictly ­forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy of information in this magazine at the time of going to press, but we accept no ­responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in this ­magazine are not necessarily those of 3Fox International Limited or Harcourt Developments.

44 Update

Latest news from other Harcourt projects: Belfast’s historic Titanic Quarter, one of Europe’s largest waterfront urban regeneration schemes; and Laois Shopping Centre, in Portlaoise, Ireland

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historical

SETTING THE SCENE Historical images of St Helier belie Jersey’s image as a quiet,, uneventful place. Alex Aspinall discovers a turbulent past ...,

0 Liberty Wharf

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BELOW Jersey’s residents take to the streets to mark Liberation Day on 9 May 1945.

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historical

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Left Islanders celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in Beresford Street.

J

ersey’s close proximity to mainland Europe meant it was a sitting duck - and strategically valuable - when German forces occupied France in 1940. The British War Office took the decision not to protect Jersey, and the island’s residents were given the opportunity to register for evacuation. Only 6,500 actually left the island; the rest were to endure almost five years of German occupation, which only came to an end on 9 May 1945.

There was a large German presence on the island, with around 11,500 troops in residence by the end of 1941. A curfew was in operation from 11pm to 5am, and the sale of spirits was banned.

The island’s liberation didn’t arrive until almost a year after the D-Day landings, as Jersey remained in German hands until unconditional surrender was issued. Liberation Day is a national holiday in Jersey celebrated every year, with people lining the streets and taking part in commemorative parades, and gala and memorial services.

But even before Liberation Day, the people of Jersey were no strangers to celebrating in the open air. In 1846 Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and the rest of the royal procession caused a great stir on the island during a state visit.

It was the first visit of a British monarch and many islanders gathered to see the Royal Yacht entering St Aubin’s Bay, their interest growing as the royal party made its tour of the island. Queen Victoria returned to Jersey for a second time 13 years later, reinforcing the regard in which she was held on the island. Her Diamond Jubilee was celebrated ostentatiously (see picture, left).

England and France fought over Jersey right up

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above Sailing craft at rest in English Harbour, overlooked by Elizabeth Castle circa 1900-1910.

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until the 1781 Battle of Jersey, after which English influences began to prevail. That rivalry fuelled St Helier’s growth. The island’s capital was originally a fishing village, with no harbour before 1700. Vessels unloaded while beached at low tide, their goods transported by cart across the sands. But from the eighteenth century, France and England built and upgraded harbours and by 1800 Jersey’s farmers were able to take advantage of a commercial harbour to build a flourishing trade with London and Paris.

By 1900 much of St Helier’s historic Norman architecture had been torn down to widen roads for the rapid transportation of agricultural produce to the harbour. Maritime commerce continued to sustain the port right up to the opening of Queen Elizabeth Harbour and St Helier Marina in the 1980s.

Yet much of the four square miles of St Helier parish is still rural, though it is home to one third of the island’s population of 90,000. lw

Bu A ild n I in sla g F nd or C Jer om se pa y’s ny Fu tu re

Main Contractor at Liberty Wharf Pleased to have been involved in the following prestigious projects Office Developments Shopping Mall Office Fit Outs

Apartments

Deerglen

Liberation House Windward House Various Clients BDO Alto STM Fiduciaire Cofra Heritage Oil Regus Bridgestreet

Deerglen Limited La Rue Phillippe Durell, La Collette, St. Helier, Jersey, JE2 3NX Tel: 768590 Fax: 768552 Email: info@deerglen.co.uk

11

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of delegates at SocInvest 2011 said the event met their objectives “extremely well” or “quite well”.

said they took away ideas that would help their funding initiatives.

of the delegates rated the speakers as either “very good” or “good”.

The UK’s premier regeneration finance and funding event took place on March 30, 2011, attended by 120 senior regeneration executives from the public and private sectors.

Comments included:

SocInvest returns in 2012 for the fifth year running. Can you afford to miss out?

“Really enjoyed the event…well done” “Good - learned a lot.”

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Keep track of the developing programme at www.SocInvest.co.uk and subscribe there to the monthly newsletter and research projects.

introduction

Jersey’s troubled past is history and the future is packed with the potential for this small island to take its place among the world’s greatest financial centres, writes Charlotte Goodworth

Harbouring its heritage FOR AN ISLAND OF JUST 45 SQUARE MILES, JERSEY HAS hosted more than its share of trouble and trauma over the centuries. The largest of the Channel Islands, in the Bay of Mont St Michel, 85 miles south of mainland Britain and 14 miles off the coast of France, it has been vulnerable to attack. Plundered, fought over and occupied, Jersey has irrefutably recovered. The island has worked hard in developing its position, both as a world-class financial services centre and a tourist destination.

Its association with France and England dates back to the 10th century. Viking raids on the island in the ninth century were halted by the intervention of King Charles of France who offered the French leader, Rollo, the lands around Rouen (later called Normandy) in exchange for peace. This pact instigated Jersey’s association with France. Rollo’s son, William, became Duke of Normandy, bringing the Channel Islands into the duchy. William was the conqueror of England in 1066, forging Jersey’s link with the English Crown.

When a descendant of William, King John, went to war with France in 1204 the Channel Islands sided with England.

This led to the islands being wrapped up in many of this larger neighbour’s battles, most recently in the Second World War,

when the five-year German occupation left deep scars on the island and on the memory of its inhabitants.

Jersey’s Anglo-French roots are very apparent. Until the 1960s French was the official language but has since given way to English. A small proportion of the 92,500-strong population still speaks Jersey French or Jèrriais, a blend of Norse and Norman French.

The official currencies include both the British pound and the Jersey pound. Euros are accepted in some outlets, although Jersey’s tourism industry promotes the island as ‘Europe without the euro’.

Jersey is now a British island but it is neither part of the UK nor a colony: it is a parliamentary democracy that is a dependency of the British Crown. The island’s link to the UK is through Queen Elizabeth II who, as sovereign, is head of state, represented in Jersey by the lieutenant governor.

The chief minister is the head of government. The States of Jersey – the island’s parliament and one of the oldest legislative bodies in the world – is made up of 53 elected members from across the island. Jersey legislates independently and laws enacted in Westminster, with the exception of defence and foreign policy, do not typically apply to the island.

The island’s name has been firmly linked with some of its famous exports, the Jersey cow, the Jersey Royal potato and issue_one

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introduction

with approximately 50 international banks and financial companies now based in the island, jersey is a centre for global finance the Jersey pullover. But a much bigger player in the economy is tourism, providing a quarter of the island’s GDP. In 2010, almost 700,000 people visited the island, spending approximately £230 million. The tourism sector contributes around £10 million in direct tax revenue and supports around 7,250 jobs.

With a temperate climate, lush landscapes, unspoilt coastlines and picturesque towns to enjoy, UK holidaymakers regularly take advantage of the 12 daily 50-minute flights from London. They represent 80% of Jersey’s visitors, with a further 10% making the journey from Germany and France.

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And there’s no danger that all these visitors, or the island’s economic growth, will spoil its beauty. To protect its fragile ecosystems, on and offshore, legislation has been passed to control property ownership, land use zoning, job creation, economic growth and even the maximum width of Jersey’s roads. Long before environmental protection became a fashionable cause, in 1997 it became the first island to gain Green Globe status, a sustainability accolade set up at the 1982 Rio Earth Summit.

WORLD FINANCIAL CENTRE While agriculture, knitwear and tourism all make their contributions, finance is now the major player, providing 50% of GDP and 60% of the government’s tax income.

Jersey’s success as an offshore financial centre began in 1962, with the scrapping of a law which had capped interest rates at 5%. Other advantages have attracted financial institutions to the island, including its famously low rate of income tax at 20%, which has remained constant since 1940. Jersey enjoys stable government, proximity to the UK and mainland Europe – and it lacks corporation tax. With approximately 50 international banks and financial companies now based in the island, Jersey is a centre for global finance, a growing sector that currently employs around 12,500 people.

Another reason for its success is its selectivity. To maintain standards, the island’s regulator – the Jersey Financial Services Commission – will only authorise the top 500 global banks to establish a presence in the island. At the moment the island is home to roughly 50 such banks, 200 regulated trust and

Left Residents and visitors relax in St Helier sunshine.

FAR LEFT The waterfront has great potential.

company administrators and 100 investment managers, stockbrokers, advisers, custodians and fund administrators. All the ‘big four’ accountancy firms are there (two are Liberty Wharf occupiers), along with a range of offshore law firms.

It has never been open to all-comers. Business is carefully monitored and each new company requires several types of consent before it can trade. These consents safeguard the quality of life on the island, ensuring new businesses will contribute to its economic success.

But the rules are becoming less stringent. Jersey’s Economic Development Department is responsible for issuing licences to new businesses and has removed the distinction between local and non-local businesses, choosing instead to review each application on its individual merits. This is a solid sign that the island is welcoming inward investment and growth opportunities.

The island’s traditionally strict residency rules, too, have been relaxed to attract wealthy immigrants. Previously, prospective residents would be expected to show an annual income sufficient to produce about £150,000 in tax revenues for the island. This has been lowered to £100,000, which is generated by income of around half a million per annum.

Jersey is keen to welcome skilled workers but preference is given to those who have lived on the island for at least 10 years, those who were born in Jersey, who are the child of a person born there or the child of a registered resident. But the authorities have demonstrated more willingness in recent years to allow ‘J category’ residency to people whose employment in the island is deemed to be essential. As this often applies to

employees of new businesses, especially if the relevant skills cannot be found from Jersey’s existing labour force, this means that businesses are finding it increasingly attractive to establish themselves in Jersey.

Attracting expert professionals The monitoring of residency and business growth within Jersey has contributed to the large proportion of its population being professionally trained and highly skilled. Jersey’s wealth of experienced accountants and legal experts ensures that business transactions run smoothly. “The flexibility of Jersey’s regulatory regime, the widening scope of legislation and the growing specialist skills prevalent in Jersey have all contributed to the successful growth of the financial services industry in recent years,” says Geoff Cook, chief executive of Jersey Finance.

“The huge pool of knowledge that has been acquired by Jersey based legal and finance professionals in handling the financial planning needs of private and corporate clients has been another factor adding to the appeal of the jurisdiction.”

Jersey’s place since 2009 in the Organisation of Economic Development (OECD) ‘white list’ was an important step in safeguarding the future of the island’s finance industry, thinks Cook. “Jersey is part of a group that includes the UK, the USA and many – but by no means all – of the OECD and EU member states, which have substantially implemented the internationally agreed tax standard.

“To be in the top tier of jurisdictions, which set the highest standards of transparency and regulation, helps to eradicate the erroneous ‘tax haven’ label sometimes wrongly associated with

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introduction

Ernst & young was one of the first occupiers of liberation house, where it doubled the space of its previous office Jersey and ensures that we are seen as a responsible member of the international community.”

The hub of this booming finance industry is St Helier (pictured), Jersey’s harbourside capital, where one third of the island’s population lives. With alfresco dining, extensive shopping and historic architecture, St Helier is popular with locals and tourists alike.

The town is home to the new waterfront development, Liberty Wharf, acquired by Harcourt subsidiary, Islands Development, in 2006. Liberation Station, the new transportation centre, occupies the ground floor of one of the buildings. Above it is Liberty Apartments, 63 five-star serviced apartments designed for the business community and offering tourists a contemporary alternative to the island’s hotels. The scheme also includes a five-storey tourist office of 800sq m, two office blocks and an old abattoir transformed into a retail centre.

Ernst & Young was one of the first occupiers of Liberation House, a 6,500sq m office building, where it doubled the space of its previous office. Bespoke fund manager, Moore Management, is based there, as is the global HQ of Computer Patent Annuities (CPA), the world’s top intellectual property management specialist. BDO Alto is based in Windward House, with other floors occupied by Cofra Jersey, Heritage Oil and STM Fiduciaire.

Regeneration of the historic buildings formed the final phase of the Liberty Wharf development, bringing these spaces back to life through careful integration with new building elements and spaces; a knitting together of old and new. Ian McDonald, director at Liberty Wharf architects, Axis Mason, describes the former abattoir site: “It’s a hugely important example of Jersey’s architectural heritage. This group of former cattle sheds, pigsties and slaughterhouses, long neglected and crudely adapted, is still a remarkable record of the process of change and development in St Helier during the past 150 years or so.”

Axis Mason’s design remodels these dilapidated buildings into an exciting and dynamic series of retail units, cafés and restaurants, maintaining the essential historic character of the site and its environs. McDonald explains: “We had a clear view, together with the planning and historic buildings officers, that any new work should be clearly expressed as contemporary insertions, but with sparing detail and high quality materials to create an obvious contrast with the restored fabric, allowing the historic quality and detail of the spaces to read through.”

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Liberty wharf occupiers Retail & leisure ■ Liberty Apartments

by BridgeStreet ■ M&S Home ■ Eclectic ■ Pasty Presto ■ Libertys ■ Hotel Chocolat ■ Exquisite – the Final Touch ■ Pretty Woman ■ Costa Coffee ■ Moma Fish Spa

offices ■ Ernst & Young ■ BDO Alto ■ Regus ■ Computer Patent Annuities ■ Cofra Jersey ■ STM Fiduciaire ■ Moore Management ■ Heritage Oil

Isle of plenty Jersey’s residency rules There are currently three categories of housing defined under the Housing (Jersey) Law 1949: ‘A-H’ category properties are only available for purchase by those with strong ties to the island, who qualify as local residents ‘J’ properties are available to ‘essentially employed persons’ ‘1(1)K’ properties are available to individuals whose residence on the island ‘can be justified on social or economic grounds’ (usually the very wealthy with an expected level of annual tax contribution of around £100,000 a year)

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introduction

“the existing buildings and spaces had this inherent physical and spacial quality; that they were adaptable still to change”

The team was equally clear that the retained historic fabric should be faithfully restored, warts and all. “Restoration work was undertaken in a thorough, often painstaking manner,” explains McDonald. “It’s not only about the quality of the materials or reuse and, in some cases, reassembly of historic materials and components, but also about craftsmanship and the need to execute the works to the highest standards.”

Existing stone, brick and timber salvaged from the site was reused to repair or reconstruct windows and doorways and to repave tarmac walkways.

The development’s first two phases added new buildings and facilities to enable comprehensive regeneration of the site.

These obviously contemporary buildings clearly express their use but also employ familiar materials, to complement the former abattoir and railway station buildings.

The team saw this challenge as another phase of change for the 150 year-old site. McDonald explains: “It’s a curious challenge, reinventing a former abattoir as a boutique retail centre. Most of the historic fabric now visible internally was never designed to be seen in this way. These very simple, robust, essentially industrial buildings were constructed with painstaking attention to detail and craftsmanship, very much a civic building in the Victorian sense. It’s therefore entirely appropriate that the site has this new public or civic use. We are

ABOVE Ships make their way into St Helier.

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very fortunate that the existing buildings and spaces had this inherent physical and spatial quality; that they were adaptable still to change.”

Individual units open off a restored covered walkway, the main circulation spine for the scheme, which has been extended through newly created spaces at either end. Carefully restored cast iron roof trusses and patent glazing shelter a secondary route between former pigpens, now reinvented as boutiques.

The entire site’s historic significance is designated as a Site of Special Interest, the highest protection afforded to Jersey’s historic buildings. “Close co-operation with Planning and Historic Buildings was paramount,” says McDonald. “We unearthed lost details almost every time we opened something up. We had to have trust and co-operation and the dialogue often had to be intense and prolonged in order to get it right.”

The overall effect is compelling: a subtle but clearly defined distinction between historic fabric and new insertions. McDonald says: “It adds another layer of change and adaptation, allowing these buildings to be enjoyed well into the future.”

It would seem that even in the current economic climate Jersey’s burgeoning financial and tourism industries are set for even greater growth, and that St Helier – thanks to the regeneration of Liberty Wharf – is poised to take its place as one of Europe’s most attractive and vibrant harbour towns. lw

www.liberty-wharf.com

Waterfront retail opportunities in St Helier, Jersey Marks & Spencer anchor store Jersey’s only covered shopping mall Period building by the waterfront Completed sections include Liberation Station · Landmark tourism office · Liberty Apartments by BridgeStreet · Regus Offices · Windward House · Liberation House ·

Developer: Islands Development Limited Albert House Route de la Liberation St. Helier Jersey JE2 3NY Channel Islands +44 (0) 1534 720033

Enquiries: Buckley and Company Limited P.O. Box 254, 43 Hilgrove Street St Helier Jersey JE4 8TT Channel Islands +44 (0) 1534 880880

Corporate HeadQuarters, serviced offices and apartments

on the waterfront The trend at the top of Jersey’s office market is moving towards a new central business district on St Helier’s waterfront. The island’s supply of space to meet corporate standards increased in 2008/09, when Windward House and Liberation House came to the market. Matthew Corbin of BDO Alto tells Siobhán Crozier why the smart money is heading to the waterfront

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Corporate headquarters in Jersey are moving towards St Helier’s beautiful marina and Matthew Corbin, managing director of BDO Alto, is certain that his company has secured one of the best on the market.

BDO Alto became the first occupant of Windward House at the end of 2008, after Deerglen had fitted out the 5,200 square foot first floor. A member of BDO International – the world’s fifth largest international accounting and consulting organisation – since 2004, the Jersey operation currently employs 35 staff. “We were looking for a longer-term home for the company,” explains Corbin. “We wanted modern space – space that staff would enjoy working in, with lots of natural light, a nice outlook in a generally attractive environment.”

Other Windward House occupiers are Cofra Jersey, STM Fiduciaire and Heritage Oil, while Ernst & Young, Computer Patent Annuities and Moore Management are based in its sister building, Liberation House.

BDO Alto provides audit and accounting, tax and advisory services to local businesses, as well as to companies operating within the financial services industry internationally. Its new headquarters needed to reflect the prestige of the company.

“We wanted something that was of good architecture, that was

Matthew Corbin Managing director of BDO Alto

“It really has been gamechanging for us. we now encourage clients to come to the building and see how we operate”

befitting of our image as a leading accounting firm in the Island,” Corbin says.

The new HQ would also be a great place for staff to work and Windward House delivered on BDO Alto’s stringent requirements. Harcourt Developments built the two five-storey office blocks, Windward House and Liberation House, adjacent to its heritage development of the new retail mall at Liberty Wharf.

“We’re based on the first floor with views across the St Helier marina, which is glorious,” says Corbin. “It was important to us as a company but also to provide our staff with that sort of environment – there was a real lift when we moved here. People really appreciate working in this office, staff know that they are valued and it’s a sign of the company’s intention locally, as well.

One of the reasons we took this first floor is that it has a large balcony that faces into Liberation Square, so people can wander out of the kitchen area and enjoy some fresh air.”

The open floor plate with pillars supporting the various floors created the opportunity for a major change for BDO Alto, as Corbin explains: “There were no hard internal walls to work with; we kept the office very open plan and free flowing. We were leaving an environment where senior individuals sat in glass cubicles and we moved to an environment where everybody is out on the same floor, which took a few weeks to get used to – but no more than that. We’ve always had a very open culture with staff but sitting out on the same floor, everyone feels included, everyone feels that they know what’s going on.” liberty Wharf Rooms are available for client meetings and confidential discussions but Corbin estimates that the majority of business, including the internal running of the company, is conducted in the open space of its headquarters.

Windward House commands stunning views of Elizabeth Marina, across the wide sweep of St Aubin’s Bay – but ultimately, how important is the setting to a firm like BDO Alto?

“Several of the big corporates are moving to this part of town,” says Corbin. “We’re one of a number of companies that have moved towards the waterfront in St Helier; there are a lot of new buildings around and I think this one compares very favourably. It’s pretty unique in terms of its location, it’s got a lot of public space around it, there’s the new Liberty Wharf retail centre next to it – and there are those stunning views across the harbour that can never be taken away.”

Corbin thinks that Liberty Wharf significantly enhances the quality of the working environment: “It’s nice to have non-office buildings around you. As the retail offer develops, everyone in this building and in Liberation House will use it more and more.”

“The fit-out was fairly easy for us; the building was provided as a blank canvas and as we have kept it quite open plan, it was relatively simple,” says Corbin. “Deerglen did a very good job and they ended up fitting three other floors in Windward House.”

Leaders in the financial services industry are astute and this investment has rewarded BDO Alto in terms of the company’s presence. “It really has been game-changing for us,” thinks Corbin. “We now encourage clients to come to the building and see how we operate. It really has worked for clients, for staff and the operation of the company; it’s a building that we’re very proud of. When we’re recruiting and we bring candidates in, or when we meet prospective and existing clients, they see that we are operating in this quality of environment and it’s another tick in the box for them.”

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corporate headquarters, serviced offices and apartments

Service with style The popularity of top quality serviced offices and apartments at Liberty Wharf shows that Jersey is well and truly open for business. Paul Coleman finds versatile new ways to do business in Jersey

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IT’S A GREAT SPOT WITH EXCELLENT TRANSPORT LINKS, AND BANKS, SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS NEARBY

could it be that Jersey Girl – Rowan Gillespie’s exquisite ‘flying’ sculpture at Liberty Wharf – symbolises the freedom and flexibility that expanding businesses crave? Liberty Wharf has become a business hub, as well as a relaxing haven, offering state-of-the-art facilities and high levels of service, in the perfect location. The impressive complex is centrally located on the Esplanade in the heart of St Helier, Jersey’s capital and one of Europe’s most renowned financial centres.

Liberty Wharf’s commercial take-off is powered by the established presence of Regus and BridgeStreet, two major international brands, along with early occupiers BDO Alto, Ernst & Young, Moore Management and Computer Patent Annuities.

Regus is a global provider of serviced offices, meeting rooms and business lounges, serving 800,000 customers worldwide each day. BridgeStreet, with its growing holding of 15,000 apartments worldwide, provides a range of high-class serviced apartments at Liberty Wharf to both business and leisure travellers.

LEFT AND ABOVE Regus’ serviced offices at Liberty Wharf include an outside terrace.

Demand for serviced offices and apartments in Jersey has increased over recent years, stimulated both by the island’s increasingly flourishing business and financial community and by an influx of affluent leisure travellers. Stylish, fully furnished offices and apartments in this particular spot are thanks to Liberty Wharf’s coveted and convenient proximity to Jersey’s banks, bars, boutiques, cafes, restaurants, shops, harbour, museums and marinas. And Liberty Wharf’s own attractions are a strong pull, as occupiers are taking up the opportunity of highly individual units for retail and leisure uses. regus jersey st helier The Regus offering at Liberty Wharf perfectly suits businesses who want to meet clients in Jersey but who don’t want to take out lengthy and expensive office leases. Regus also supports many fledgling local businesses, offering meeting and training rooms, conference and boardrooms, a business lounge, cafe, extensive Wi-Fi, and a professional reception area. The Regus Liberty Wharf team includes IT support, facilities technicians and reception staff.

The service also offers the human touch. “Our receptionist will meet and greet our customer’s visitors,” says Matt MacKenzie, who heads Regus’ Liberty Wharf operation and who grew up in Jersey. “We literally work for our customer at that point,” he adds. “Visitors are taken to the office or meeting room; and if the customer needs stationery or has left some

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corporate headquarters, serviced offices and apartments

“The demand for serviced offices at Liberty Wharf shows that Jersey is becoming an increasingly entrepreneurial society”

files in their office in the building, the operational staff will get whatever they need, even collecting the files and taking them to the meeting room. It’s a five-star service.”

Both Regus and BridgeStreet are actively securing new clientele based on Liberty Wharf’s prestigious location.

Strategically, it’s a great spot with excellent transport links, and banks, shops and restaurants nearby, as well as a plethora of diverse, thriving companies offering a comprehensive range of services.

The marina is also just across the way. “Yachtsmen visiting Jersey on business moor in the marina and come to us to use our day office facilities,” says MacKenzie. “Similarly, people fly to the island and 20 minutes later they’re in St Helier, making good use of our business centre.”

Key to the Regus service is its Businessworld scheme, which enables businesses to enjoy flexibility while containing costs.

Businessworld allows clients drop-in access to Regus’ global network of business centres with preferred rates on products and services.

MacKenzie is in fact a former customer of Businessworld, so is well placed to testify to its usefulness. He previously worked for a Salt Lake City-based venture capital group seeking to establish its global footprint. His ‘patch’ included the Middle East and Africa, but he also frequently visited Prague, Paris, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro and Dallas. The group neither needed nor could afford a huge property portfolio. “But we did need versatile, professional office services and Regus regularly provided it,” says MacKenzie.

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Businessworld allowed the firm to pretty much roll up on Regus’ doorstep and say, “Can we use an office and facilities for the day?” and be provided with meeting rooms, telephones, printers and secretarial services. “During a two-year globetrotting stint, it provided the same high standard everywhere I worked across the globe,” chimes MacKenzie. “I felt Regus knew and understood what my company needed. It delivered seamlessly and professionally, without fail.”

He recalls one Regus customer who was visited by a prospective client who didn’t realise the office was serviced.

“Calls to our customers are answered by a Regus receptionist in the customer’s company name. This suits most customers who don’t need a full-time receptionist. Regus’ whole concept is: use only what you want to use.”

MacKenzie was struck by the clear synergy between his venture capital company, providing new businesses with finance and management skills, and Regus helping embryo and expanding businesses. “There were many similarities,” says MacKenzie. “Jersey definitely needs the centre – as the occupancy by local businesses shows.” When MacKenzie decided to return to Jersey with his family in summer 2010, a perfect marriage was arranged when Regus appointed him to head their Liberty Wharf operation.

Regus now occupies the entire first floor of Liberty Wharf’s commercial component, offering over 40 offices, meeting, interview and video-conferencing rooms and a conference suite.

Fully fitted and decorated spacious offices come with tasteful, ergonomic and adjustable furniture. Outside, a gloriously large

ABOVE Regus serviced offices provide customers with everything from a receptionist to videoconferencing.

Below BridgeStreet’s Liberty Apartments.

BOTTOM Regus Jersey St Helier.

furnished terrace has already hosted launch parties and other business functions. It’s a free and open space at all other times, allowing all Liberty Wharf users to take advantage of Wi-Fi, using their laptops and PDAs while enjoying fresh air and a view across the marina.

The Regus Liberty Wharf clients vary from those who just use one office for an hour to long-term occupants, such as law firms, accountants, banks and hedge fund managers, some with just two employees and others with more than 20.

Clients also include enterprises that have invested seed corn funds into a proposition, and use serviced offices to enable them to concentrate on growing the business without the burden of being tied to a commercial lease as well as having to pay a facilities manager.

For example, Jersey Enterprise is opening a business incubator with Regus here to help nurture the growth of new local businesses. “The demand for serviced offices at Liberty Wharf shows that Jersey is becoming an increasingly entrepreneurial society,” says MacKenzie.

He believes Liberty Wharf is already an important part of the Regus global offering, which takes care of more than 800,000 customers per day in 500 cities and 85 countries, through a network of over 1,100 business centres. “No other company on the island is doing what Regus is doing,” says MacKenzie. “Our flexible packages are the best, and I can say that with hand on heart having experienced it from the other side of the counter.

The island is saying ‘Jersey is open for business’ – and the arrival of Regus at Liberty Wharf proves that!”

liberty apartments So, you’ve found your ideal Liberty Wharf office, but where do you relax after work? BridgeStreet’s Liberty Apartments provide an equally high quality and flexible solution, offering all of the services of a top quality city centre hotel but without the limitations of a hotel stay.

In 2007, Harcourt Developments awarded BridgeStreet Worldwide a 15-year contract to manage the 63 apartments on Liberty Wharf’s second, third and fourth floors. BridgeStreet cannily knew already that offering stylish and contemporary apartments was just the beginning. “Our goal is to create an inviting and relaxing environment for our guests,” says Simone Stein, BridgeStreet’s general manager at Liberty Wharf. “Our welcome doesn’t just start when you arrive at the apartments.”

Before guests arrive, Stein and her team send full details of Jersey’s local attractions, restaurants and car hire. “We also offer a bespoke shopping service,” says Stein. “We’ll ensure special items that you’d like are safely stored in your pantry or fridge before you arrive, in addition to our welcome pack of well-loved and local essential grocery items.”

The apartments comprise a selection of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, some with balconies, and views of the town and harbour. They all have a living and dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, a bathroom and double bed, along with wireless internet, flat screen TV, iPod docking station and CD and DVD player. The apartments guarantee privacy and security, yet BridgeStreet take pride in their intimate and friendly homefrom-home ambience.

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Liberty Wharf 23

corporate headquarters, serviced offices and apartments

Liberty Apartments’ exclusive reception area is staffed 24 hours a day and provides complimentary tea, coffee and fresh croissants for guests every morning. The ApartHotel often finds itself becoming a handy meeting place for guests who are travelling in groups. The private terrace with tables and chairs is also proving very popular. “The reception area and terrace also allows us to stay in touch with our guests and to ensure we’re continually providing them with the utmost comfort and service,” adds Stein.

A significant number of Liberty Apartments’ guests include extended stay business travellers, as well as the growing numbers of leisure users, including project workers who are away from home for short yet significant timeframes.

Jo Layton has been responsible for BridgeStreet Worldwide sales and marketing throughout Europe and the Middle East since January 2005. She is very pleased with the feedback received from Liberty Wharf guests.

“Warmth, friendliness and service, along with world-class apartments, are the key repeated words on virtually every satisfaction survey we receive,” says Layton. “And this is not just on our own feedback; these sentiments are reflected in reviews of the apartments on independent forums such as tripadvisor.co.uk and laterooms.com.”

As LW went to press, Liberty Apartments had over 70 guest surveys completed on laterooms.com. One hundred per cent of guests said they would recommend Liberty Apartments to a friend, and 100% said they would stay again. “Now that is a dream number of potential repeat customers for any business,” adds Layton. “This is a tribute to our staff and to the product and services of this incredible development.”

Layton’s passion for service excellence ensures Liberty Apartments typifies the best that the serviced apartment sector can offer. It’s not surprising they are in good hands: Layton, as an active executive committee member of the Association of Serviced Apartment Providers, played a leading role in the creation of a new UK grading system for serviced apartments in conjunction with Visit Britain.

24 Liberty Wharf

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Layton was drawn to the sector after working 13 years for the Marriott, Renaissance and InterContinental Hotels group.

“When introduced to the serviced apartment industry, I saw a completely different opportunity to work with competitors as network partners, which means we never need to turn away businesses,” explains Layton.

“We work on the premise that we can find an apartment within our industry to fit the needs of our travellers – whatever location, price, size, style, grade, service requirements or length of stay they want.

“We work also on the idea that our inventory can concertina to fit the demands of our clients, even in locations where we’re not represented, by networking with our BridgeStreet Global Alliance partners,” adds Layton.

BridgeStreet has grown very quickly over the past five years from its London head office and Paris hub. Jersey is just one of its UK openings – others include Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Liverpool. The first franchise opens in Doha this year, with another on the cards in Dubai.

“Every time we open another property, we bring with us the regional understanding that every city or location has its own personality and accepted working practices,” says Layton.

“As we’ve shown in Jersey, we bring a total respect for the local community. Our global operating procedures are continually reviewed to ensure they are in line with the needs of the local environment. Liberty Apartments are no exception to this.”

Thanks to Regus’ serviced offices and BridgeStreet’s serviced apartments, guests and clients at Liberty Wharf not only find their diverse and changing needs met, but are also instantly connected to flexibly accessible global networks.

Liberty Wharf, viewed from this perspective, is therefore more than just an impressive development with high quality offices and apartments. It’s also far more than simply a major contribution to Jersey’s waterfront revitalisation and to increasing the amount of jobs available to local people.

Liberty Wharf is a hub of international business activity and a welcoming and relaxing haven for travellers. lw

ABOVE Liberty Apartments: some with balconies, but all with home comforts.

Liberty Apartments

by BridgeStreet Worldwide Jersey

Local Hospitality, Worldwide Experience

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Our apartments are ideal for short or long stays. Whether you are here on business, visiting friends and family, or even just experiencing the beauty of Jersey as a tourist, we have a modern and spacious apartment waiting for you.

Located just a few minutes’ walk from the shops, attractions and beaches, our stylish, self-contained, fully furnished apartments give you the independence to relax, work or entertain at your own pace. With a 24-hour concierge, complimentary tea and coffee, welcome box and broadband wi-fi internet access included in the rate, you will receive exceptional value for money.

Our friendly and professional staff are on hand 24 hours a day to help you with any additional requirements you may have, from restaurant reservations to information about Jersey or even booking tickets to local events. Liberty Apartments – your home away from home.

The Esplanade, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3AS Phone: +44 (0) 1534 714 700 Fax: +44 (0) 1534 769 606 Email: liberty@bridgestreet.com www.libertyapartments.co.uk

retail

26 Liberty Wharf

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island shopping Jersey has a lot more to offer retailers and shoppers, than its zero rate of VAT. Noella Pio Kivlehan talks to, retail experts, and Liberty Wharf’s first occupiers, to, find out what this unique development, adds to the retail scene,

continues overleaf

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Liberty Wharf 27

retail

“Liberty Wharf is a destination Jersey residents and visitors will want to return to, time and time again”

With a wealthy population and plenty of tourists, it’s not surprising that retail is Jersey’s second largest private employment sector, with more than 8,000 people working in the area, or that it generates 6% of its GVA (gross value added).

“Retail is significant for Jersey. Even though the island is very focused on finance, retail still plays an important part,” says Tony O’Neill. And he should know. Although he would not reveal specific figures, as CEO of SandpiperCI, O’Neill controls a significant percentage of the island’s retail, either through franchises or directly. In his own words, “SandpiperCI is by far the biggest operator in Jersey.”

Names operated by O’Neill as retail partners include Marks & Spencer – a franchisee on the island for over 40 years – Waitrose, Robert Dyas and Iceland, and he’s planning even more deals.

“As we widen the consumer choice, it has to be attractive to both residents and visitors, as well as, of course, people coming over from mainland Europe,” says O’Neill. And this is where Jersey has a major advantage over the mainland – it is only one hour away on the ferry from France. “We have seen a growing influx of European shoppers. We have a lot of advantages in attracting them because of the strong euro and our close proximity to the coast of mainland Europe, which means we get a lot of day trippers.”

Whatever retailers he does bring in, they will all add to Jersey’s retail mix that is being buoyed by Liberty Wharf, which by bringing 58,000sq ft of retail to the island’s mix, is what O’Neill calls ‘a significant development’. He’s taking multiple units in the scheme. “I think Liberty Wharf will complement what retail offer there already is in Jersey, particularly with new entrants to the island,” he adds.

That vision is already working. While Liberty Wharf

ABOVE ANd previous page Liberty Wharf – the only development of its kind in Jersey.

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operators include anchor store Marks & Spencer Home, plus established brands such as Costa Coffee and luxury chocolatier Hotel Chocolat, it is also home to independent shops, such as Eclectic, a contemporary and vintage boutique, and Exquisite – the Final Touch, which offers bespoke and retro interiors.

Pat Power, executive director of Harcourt Developments, said: “As the island’s only covered mall, Liberty Wharf is a unique shopping experience for the Channel Islands. The 20 retail and leisure units are bringing a new dimension to shopping in Jersey. Liberty Wharf links the town and waterfront together, integrating retail and leisure facilities in one environment. It provides a new heart for the centre of St Helier.”

“Exquisite and Eclectic fit perfectly with what we are trying to achieve with the complex as a whole,” added Gerry Comaskey, group property director of Harcourt Developments. “They are exciting and distinct businesses that offer something different to Jersey. We look forward to watching their business grow.

“Liberty Wharf is not just a covered shopping mall, it’s been restored in a way that combines the heritage architecture with the contemporary,” Comaskey thinks. “We have the high street retailers such as BHS, M&S and Boots, but also the array of privately owned stores, making it much more individual than a UK high street. It’s unique to Jersey because it is the only such heritage site on the island that could be redeveloped. It’s been described as a Covent Garden type of development.”

Liberty Wharf allows the public to enjoy the ambience and display of the restored abattoir, says Comaskey: “There was a lot of local interest in the development of Liberty Wharf and people were eager to see how it has been transformed from the former abattoir site into a stunning retail environment. Work on this historic site has been a detailed and meticulous process to ensure that the finished product preserves and

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ABOVE Hotel Chocolat mmm!

FAR LEFT Vintage and contemporary interiors at Exquisite – the Final Touch, exploiting the individuality of its Liberty Wharf unit.

LEFT The historic features of the former abattoir have been carefully retained.

BELOW Eclectic, an independentlyowned boutique, mixes current and retro pieces.

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Liberty Wharf 29

retail

enhances the original features and does justice to this longstanding piece of Jersey history. We believe that the end product has been worth the wait and Liberty Wharf is a destination Jersey residents and visitors will want to return to, time and time again.”

To preserve the unique character of the historic buildings, unusually for shop-fitting, the traders have to get planning permission for their internal fit-outs to preserve all the retained original features.

As Nicole Smith, owner of Eclectic, a contemporary and vintage fashion boutique in the development, says: “The walls of my shop are granite and we had to have our plans approved before we could attach anything, so it was quite hard to fit out but it has really been worth it. Liberty Wharf is the most beautiful development and everyone is so impressed. The use of glass and granite, the old and the new, is what appealed to me and Eclectic is perfectly suited to this wonderful heritage site. It aims to provide something different from the high street, in the right location and a unique environment.”

For Annette Mueller-Allenspach, it is the ideal location for her interiors store, Exquisite – the Final Touch. “I believed there was a need for a shop which offered bespoke, quality home furnishings and unique contemporary, vintage and traditional gifts. Having sourced my products from around the world, I was then on the hunt for the right place to showcase all the collections. Liberty Wharf could offer this to me. Given the site’s deep historical context, mirrored by the stunning granite architecture and heritage detail, this was the showcase that I had been looking for!”

She too agrees that the mix of retailers is important, and feels that whoever they are, they must encompass the design of their shop-fitting to complement the uniqueness of each unit. “It’s a first for Jersey,” adds Mueller-Allenspach, “It’s the only covered mall. The complex offers a fantastic shopping experience. With a mix of the bygone days of Victorian splendor and the modern clean aluminum lines, it is without doubt unique, a fabulous success that Jersey should be proud of!”

For Martin Sayers, owner of Libertys bar and restaurant complex, it was the waterfront location that confirmed Liberty Wharf as the location for his new venture. “The whole of

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St Helier is embracing its waterfront – this is now the hub of the entertainment area.

“Liberty Wharf is unique; nothing like it exists in Jersey.

It has the largest alfresco space, with smoking areas outdoors, and it will have heated exterior paving slabs, maintaining a comfortable ambient temperature throughout the year.

“The marvellous thing about Liberty Wharf is longevity,” Sayers says. “When you’re investing large sums you have to know where the competition will come from in the next two or three years, what premises could become available nearby and whether the venue is close to housing. This is a unique site with the best views in St Helier, looking over the harbour, St Helier Marina and Liberation Square.”

So, has Jersey been affected by the economic downturn?

Not in the retail sector, according to O’Neill. “The Channel Islands have had a ‘good recession’,” he says. Being an island has given Jersey’s retail market some degree of protection from the recession, which hit mainland UK hard, forcing the closure or part closure of some significant retail names.

“Most of the fall out here was in the finance sector,” says O’Neill. “However, in the past 12 months, we have been encouraged to have made the progress that we have,” adding that things definitely have not been as bad as they could have been.

Such figures haven’t put off the new tenants at Liberty Wharf. “I have been told I’m very brave to open a shop in this current economic crisis,” says Annette Mueller-Allenspach.

“My answer is simple. People are not moving home – instead they’re investing in the home they already have and taking fewer holidays. Their home is their castle, their haven. Their spare time is spent in the enjoyment of their home and surroundings.”

And as Nicole Smith says: “I don’t think there’s any better time to open than in a recession – trade can only go up. A couple of new independent boutiques are opening in St Helier and I think that’s very positive.” lw

Sunday retail trading hours

TOP Annette Mueller-Allenspach, owner of Exquisite – the Final Touch, with Shelagh Dix and Ashley Batho.

Jersey operates differently from the UK mainland in relation to its Sunday trading hours.

The 1960 legislation controls Sunday trading through the issuing of permits, which are granted by the Connétable of the Parish in which the business is situated. (The Connétable, elected head of each of the island’s 12 parishes, are also known as Constables.) This limits the products which can be traded on a Sunday, Good Friday, Liberation Day and Christmas Day. But this could be set to change. In March 2010, the States of Jersey (the island’s parliament) announced it was working on an overhaul of the 1960 Sunday trading legislation.

It outlines that: “This will allow Parish Connétables, who grant Sunday trading permits, more flexibility and control over how and to whom permits are issued. The new system also contains safeguards (that did not previously exist) to allow shops to apply for licences on a level playing field. “[The proposals] will be available to the public as soon as they are completed and there will be a period of public consultation before they are discussed by the States.”

Tony O’Neill, CEO of SandpiperCI, one of Jersey’s biggest retail operators, has welcomed the overhaul. “It will bring clarity of what will be allowed. Obviously, it won’t put us on par with the UK retailers, but it is liberalisation.”

As LW went to press, the changes were being considered by the Jersey States Assemby Scutiny. Depending on the outcome of this, the issue could be decided by July 2011.

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SITUATED AT THE HEART OF RMS TITANIC’S BIRTHPLACE

Where we once built ships, now we build communities

Belfast, Northern Ireland

case study

Conservation vs commerce For an island rich in heritage but restricted on space, development projects that are crucial to Jersey’s future can be a careful balancing act, writes Charlotte Goodworth

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Far Left One of the entrances to Liberty Wharf. left Alfresco coffee house in Jersey’s sunshine. below Heritage details conserved at Liberty Wharf.

Historic renewal projects are commonly fraught with problems, and Liberty Wharf, a Site of Special Interest, was no different: it had its fair share of difficulties to overcome in order to respect the integrity of the existing buildings, while creating a contemporary, workable space. Yet the new transportation centre and tourism office finished ahead of schedule and well within budget. So what was its secret?

Gerry Comaskey, group property director of Harcourt Developments, said: “Work on such a historical site had to be a detailed and meticulous process. We commissioned Axis Mason architects to ensure preservation of the old abattoir and Jersey construction company, Deerglen, to build it. We took our time, investing in this heritage building to ensure an important piece of Jersey’s history was preserved.”

For Harcourt, genuine conservation entailed creating a viable future. “We’ve given Liberty Wharf a completely new function with enduring appeal, both for its commercial operators and for residents and visitors to the island,” added Comaskey.

Project manager Anthony Joubert, of building contractor, Camerons, won the Construction Manager of the Year Award for the scheme. He considers its success lay in careful planning and a close relationship between all parties. “We established a list of critical points at the start and we were organised,” he explains.

“From the beginning we were working on a preserved site. When some granite slabs had to be removed from the building, we got the historical officer to check what to do with them.”

Project architect, Ian McDonald, director of Axis Mason,

worked closely with Joubert and with Jersey’s planning and historic buildings departments. Close monitoring by the authorities and constant communication meant the design and decision-making process had to be reasonably flexible, but it also created a final result that is to the satisfaction of all parties.

McDonald identified that the key challenge of the development was to balance a considered approach to conserving the remaining historic fabric with the need to introduce new structures and elements to ensure the viability of the scheme.

“Previous ill-considered alterations and the absence of maintenance had left much of the historic fabric in severe dilapidation. The site had been continually adapted over the years so we had to establish a suitable base from which to start.

“This can be highly subjective, so it was vital to develop the design in tandem with the planning and historic buildings officers through regular discussions. We constructed samples and mock-ups insitu to inform the decision-making process.”

One particular issue that required this type of close liaison was the embrasure – an opening in a battlement for a gun to fire through. Joubert explains: “On the granite tourism office wall is a solid concrete gun embrasure set into in a few cubic metres of concrete. Because of the political sensitivity of the item and what it represents, we had to demolish this concrete and the bunker at the back of it and put the embrasure back right in the same location as it was originally. We didn’t want to get it wrong so we asked for an independent surveyor to come on to the site to measure it and come back to check it was in the right location.”

With historic sites, not knowing what may be in the ground can cause huge problems of time, money and conservation restrictions. To minimise the impact, Joubert and his team from Camerons tested and researched in detail before work began.

The sea wall was a potential concern. Dating to around 1822, it ran underneath the new transportation centre. Before he could specify what type of piling to use, Joubert needed to know exactly what they would find in the ground.

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Liberty Wharf 33

case study

“WHERE NEW building ELEMENTS WERE brought in, THEse were designed to REINFORCE THE INDUSTRIAL AESTHETIC, WITH A LIMITED PALETTE OF MATERIALS AND DETAIL” As well as employing a ground-penetrating radar company from the mainland to provide an indication of the sea wall, Joubert marked out all the pipes’ positions within the site and excavated two metres below ground level to determine what obstructions lay beneath. “I made all these investigations before the site work began,” says Joubert. “The site could have been delayed by a month, meaning reprogramming, and higher costs.”

The materials used above ground were equally important, as it was essential to preserve the architectural and cultural heritage of the island. However, this preservation had to go hand in hand with the site’s viability as a commercial enterprise. As McDonald points out, the development wasn’t intended to be a museum of the past. “The site was originally constructed as an abattoir and was therefore not designed to accommodate the public,” he explains. “It was a beautifully designed and detailed slaughterhouse but a slaughterhouse nonetheless.

What was important, therefore, was to retain a very clear sense of this former use (the iron door and window grilles, feeding

below Liberty Wharf is Jersey’s only heritage development.

34 Liberty Wharf

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troughs and stone blood channels are retained, for example), while enabling the often eclectic collection of internal spaces to accommodate retailers and food outlets.

“Where new building elements were brought in, these were designed to reinforce the industrial aesthetic, albeit in an obviously contemporary manner and with a limited palette of materials and detail,” adds McDonald.

With regard to sustainability, reuse and regeneration were the principal methods, as Comaskey notes, “As well as preserving the existing buildings, the original materials – doors, windows, stone flooring and cobbles, granite and brickwork to walls, slate roofing, and timber and metalwork to the roof structures – were all reused. This has added hugely to the overall appeal of the finished development.”

Where new materials had to be used, the architects balanced conservation with renewal. High quality, durable local materials were chosen, such as Jersey granite from La Saline quarry in St John. A lightweight cladding system from France was quick and cheap to construct, and blended aesthetically with the granite.

Throughout the project, compromise, communication and forward planning were paramount to ensure it met conservation, as well as commercial, requirements. As far as the States of Jersey is concerned, Liberty Wharf has ticked both boxes.

Senator Freddie Cohen, minister for planning and environment, comments: “Liberty Wharf is an exciting opportunity and the finished buildings have the potential to invigorate the town. The area abuts Liberation Square and will act as the link to the marinas and harbour.

“The scheme was complex as it involved converting a 19th century abattoir into a workable modern shopping and eating complex. Our historic buildings team and our planning officers have worked closely with Harcourt to deliver what I hope will be an exceptional project. Harcourt and my officers have gone to great effort to preserve the historic integrity of the buildings and have preserved or replicated many of the key features. I welcome this scheme and hope it achieves the success it deserves.” lw

‘Wave’ by Angela Conner, Park West, Dublin, Ireland

Harcourt Developments is a Dublin-based property development, management and investment company with a broad portfolio of international office, leisure and residential projects. The integration of cultural and artistic elements is important to our development philosophy.

Titanic Signature Building, Belfast, UK

Carlisle Bay, Tatler Hotel of the Year, Antigua

“Jersey Girl” Liberty Wharf, Jersey

18/19 HARCOURT STREET, DUBLIN 2, IREL AND HARCOURTDEVELOPMENTS.COM

public art

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Public art can make the spirit fly but get it wrong and it just makes people cringe. Major investment in successful art installations is a vital feature characterising Harcourt Developments’ projects.

Sarah Herbert finds out why the company believes it is worth serious investment to commission established artists

art counsel Flying free as a bird above the heads of Liberty Wharf shoppers is Jersey Girl, a cast bronze sculpture by acclaimed Irish artist Rowan Gillespie. Perfectly balanced, suspended on an almost invisible wire, she was installed in 2010 to create a unique focal point for the development. But why a naked girl? And why did Gillespie think she was perfect for Liberty Wharf?

“I’d already created smaller sculptures of flying females,” says Gillespie, “but in Liberty Wharf, the idea really seemed to fit the context. The concept of freedom and liberation is critical in Jersey and in this site it’s particularly poignant, with the Liberty sculpture in Liberation Place on the other side of the development, celebrating Jersey’s liberation from German occupation at the end of the Second World War. “But why a woman? Well, thinking back to my mother, for women the end of the war almost meant the end of the liberation they’d found while the menfolk were away fighting. They’d been working in factories, earning money, and weren’t all that keen on becoming housewives again. While that generation of women

then struggled with rebellion for the rest of their lives, it laid the foundation for liberation of the next generation of women to break free of the home. This sculpture equates liberation of women with liberation from fascism. The image of the free-flying woman is the ultimate freedom.”

Roger Kohn, author of Gillespie’s biography, Looking for Orion, has a particular insight into how these eloquent public pieces communicate. “Rowan connects emotionally with people by injecting a little humanity into the often de-humanised spaces they inhabit,” says Kohn. “His work ethic links client liaison, creativity, foundry-casting, finishing, packing, transporting, installing and lighting in a single organic process. He therefore works completely alone – most often in isolation – with singleminded intensity; blending the figurative and the abstract; juxtaposing organic shapes and the spaces around them.

He creates spatial relationships and harmonies with subtle tensions, enabling him to portray the human condition in all its manifestations with heightened sensitivity.

“Each piece is site specific and appropriate – designed to enhance and improve upon the space it replaces. His most renowned piece is perhaps the rough hewn, haunting Famine, which often reduces observers to tears by placing them among the starving victims of the Great Famine as they stagger along Dublin’s Custom House quay looking to embark for survival.”

The collaboration with Harcourt came about after the company had admired Gillespie’s work around its home city of Dublin. Says John Doherty, marketing director of Harcourt:

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public art

“OVER TIME, PEOPLE can BECOME QUITE POSSESSIVE OF THE ART AND SEE IT AS THEIRS”

“Through the years we’ve been seeking an opportunity to work with Rowan, as many of his sculptures have become part of the physical landscape of both Dublin and Ireland, as well as many cities throughout Europe. We wanted a landmark piece for Liberty Wharf and when we spoke with Rowan and explained what we had in mind, he leapt at the opportunity.”

Using public art to bring vibrancy to a development is nothing new to Harcourt Developments. Its relationship with art is a long and illustrious one, with the developer integrating public art into all its schemes. “An important part of Harcourt’s philosophy is to integrate artistic and cultural elements in all of our property developments,” says Doherty. “The inclusion of the visual arts, paintings and sculpture in commercial projects enhances the environment and stimulates an appreciation of art and culture for all.”

One of the best examples of this approach is Harcourt’s Park West commercial development in Dublin, with 16 pieces, commissioned from nine different artists, costing the company millions of euros. The work includes Wave, by Angela Conner, the tallest wind and water sculpture in Europe, which towers over the park and acts as an icon for miles around.

Or The Bastard Son of Sisyphus, by Orla de Brí, pragmatically commissioned to detract attention away from unsightly pylons, and known to the local workers as Oscar, thanks to his resemblance to a famous golden statuette! It’s become such an established feature that people no longer even notice the pylons.

Showing that art can be practical as well as beautiful, Vivienne Roche’s Whitelight Garden – centrepiece of Park West – is a public park by day, popular as a lunch spot for Park West’s many office workers, but by night it becomes a light sculpture.

And it’s not just popular with the tenants – the sculpture won the Business to Arts judges special recognition award in 2007.

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top, above and previous pages Work in progress: Jersey Girl in Gillespie’s studio; Jersey Girl flies into Liberty Wharf.

Naturally, there’s a strong business case for making the park unique and developing not just buildings, but a strong sense of place. One tenant, Allianz Worldwide Care, said: “The modern art peppered around the park makes Park West something out of the ordinary, and something that we are very happy with.”

Mike Murphy, veteran Irish broadcaster and one of Harcourt’s founding directors, says: “Art in the environment is very important in any case. People may or may not like it but they are conscious of its presence and that stretches their imagination. Over time, people can become quite possessive of the art and see it as theirs. They want to know about it and discuss it with others.

“On the one hand it’s a selling point, helping to create

Left Rowan Gillespie at the installation of The Ages of Man at Westlake, California in 2010.

FAR LEFT Angela Conner’s Wave at Park West in Dublin, Europe’s tallest water and wind sculpture. below Casting Jersey Girl in Rowan Gillespie’s studio, Blackrock, Co Dublin.

Rowan Gillespie

distinctiveness and a sense of place,” he thinks. “But it’s also important for the way it engages the interest of those living and working at the park.”

Harcourt’s involvement in the arts continues to Titanic Quarter – a mixed-use development on Belfast’s docklands – where a dazzling star-shaped centrepiece building will act as an art gallery and theatre, with a major interactive exhibition on the RMS Titanic and Belfast’s maritime heritage.

The commitment doesn’t end at the company’s own developments. Harcourt sponsored the Dublin installation of wildlife photographer Steve Bloom’s Spirit of the Wild exhibition in 2007, which continues its tour of major European cities, raising money for and awareness of environmental concerns.

Harcourt also sponsors various Irish art institutions and has built up a prestigious collection of Irish art. Chairman Pat Doherty has been the subject of three portraits by Lucian Freud, each entitled Donegal Man. Art is in the blood of the company, with Murphy something of an aficionado. He used to present an arts show on RTÉ radio and has sat on the board of the Museum of Modern Art in Ireland. He says: “We believe art is a hugely important facet of our approach to business. We’re delighted to be doing it and will continue to do so at all our developments. It gives more of a sense of place. To have something that is visually interesting is a bonus.”

Of course, Harcourt aren’t the first to have discovered the benefits of public art. Sculpture and paintings have been used to inspire and educate the populus since our early ancestors first put dye to cave wall and the Greeks created statues of the gods.

Now it can be anything from the enormous – such as Anthony Gormley’s Angel of the North in Gateshead – to the tiny – Tracey Emin’s tiny casts of baby clothes in Folkestone. But whatever

Rowan Gillespie was born in 1953 in Dublin.

After studying art in Kingston and Oslo, he started exhibiting his sculpture in 1977.

By 1997 he’d moved into creating commissioned pieces, designed for their sites, which ranged from University College Dublin to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Working from a oneman studio/workshop in Blackrock, south of Dublin, he casts his statues in bronze after a long and complicated procedure involving creating a small-scale model, welding a full-size frame for the sculpture, building up the sculpture in clay, and using wax, plaster and wire netting – heated in a kiln to 650º centigrade – to create a mould for the bronze.

Once the sculpture is cast, it is washed down using an ancient Greek technique to retain the natural colour and patination of the bronze.

To see his work, and find out how he does it, visit www.rowangillespie.com

the scale and location, it’s now universally accepted that public art creates a unique sense of identity, brings individuality to a project, and gives a sense of the space belonging to its users.

Arts Council England believes the arts have a major part to play in helping to galvanise community engagement, participation in planning and in creating a sense of identity and pride. As it says: “We believe that the arts can make an effective contribution to creating or regenerating strong, cohesive and vibrant communities.”

As with most things worth waiting for, the arrival of Jersey Girl didn’t run smoothly. Her final unveiling was delayed because of the drama of the volcanic ash cloud hovering over the UK’s air space in spring 2010, meaning that no one could get to Jersey for the big moment.

But Harcourt and Gillespie both knew it was going to work, thanks to initial engineering tests, when the figure was lifted into position by crane. “Public reaction was strong,” says Doherty. “The vast majority of people were taking photos with their phones and praising the piece. As a conversation piece it looks like it will be successful and we think the majority of people will find an accord with Jersey Girl.”

All apart from one prudish onlooker, who sniffed, “It’s disgusting, she’s completely naked,” and walked on. Says Gillespie: “She’s not the object, we are. She’s flying over our heads – she’s off. She’s relaxed.”

As with all public art, however complex the individual piece, the concept of Jersey Girl also works just as a sculpture in itself.

As Gillespie says: “People can either just think ‘that’s nice’, or it can trigger thoughts about what it might mean or what it means to the viewer.

“I’m thrilled with the result. She’s really going to work. Every now and then I hit lucky! And it’s been great working with Harcourt. They’ve been a wonderful, enlightened client.” lw issue_one

Liberty Wharf 39

transport

station to station

Liberty wharf bus station At an important transport axis between the marina and town centre, Liberty Wharf’s bus station is at the heart of St Helier.

Liberation Station – named by Jersey residents, after a request

by BBC Jersey Breakfast – opened in September 2007, and is sited behind the weighbridge and HQ of the island’s former railway, dismantled at the end of the Second World War. Passengers wait for their buses under cover, and can board most of them without getting wet – only four of the 11 stands are outside. All buses pull right up to the concourse, making boarding safe and easy.

Liberation Station also includes two information desks for such things as timetable and lost property enquiries, as well as pass sales. Other facilities include a cafe and Citizens Advice Bureau computer terminal. lw

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MARKETS

Treasure island

Jersey is already one of the richest places in the world, but developments in St Helier, will bolster its strong economy, says David Gray

Jersey is a crown dependency, neither part of the UK, nor a colony. UK legislation only applies on the island should its government agree. This independent spirit brings important financial and commercial advantages, crucial to the success of Jersey's healthy economy. Financial services have superseded the traditional agriculture and fishing industries and now account for half the island's economy, employing almost a quarter of its workforce at the end of 2009. There are now nearly 50 banks in Jersey and these include almost half of the largest banks in the world.

As a tax haven, Jersey is already one of the wealthiest places on earth. According to the CIA World Factbook in 2011, the island ranks seventh richest in GDP per head – just below Bermuda and Norway and above Kuwait and Brunei.

The financial sector continues to grow and employed just

over 12,500 people at the end of 2010. Their weekly average earnings in 2010 were £860 (up from £770 in 2007). Average earnings for all FTE employees in Jersey were £630 per week in 2010, substantially higher than in the UK. Besides finance, the tourism sector is also very important, including large numbers of yachting visitors. The island attracted 685,200 visitors in 2010 and their spending totalled £230 million. There are 141 hotels and guest houses, annually selling between them more than 1.8 million bed nights. As well as tourists, Jersey has a high number of business visitors.

The island has a resident population of 91,812 (2010) in 38,300 households. Immigrants have been vital for the economy and remarkably, barely half (53%) of the population was actually born on Jersey. Although most migrants have traditionally come from the UK, recent years have seen rising numbers from the rest of Europe, particularly Poland and Portugal. The strong economy continues to support a high

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Liberty Wharf 41

700,000

MARKETS

people visited Jersey in 2010, spending a total of £230 million

53% 87%

Finance workers earned an average £860 a week in 2010

of the Jersey population wAS born on the island

work in the private sector

Grade A rentals have averaged £26-27 per sq ft for five years

level of employment (53,460 in December 2010) and 87% of workers are in the private sector. Unemployment in December 2010 was 2.2%, higher than in recent years but still very substantially less than in the UK.

relaxation in order to increase the supply of new housing. The low supply of properties for sale is also responsible for Jersey's significant private rental sector, with average rents on the island having risen by 6% during 2009.

RESILIENT PROPERTY MARKET A healthy economy combined with the attractions of living on the island mean Jersey continues to enjoy a robust residential housing market. Official figures in May 2011 reveal a mixadjusted first quarter (Q1) average sale price of £443,000. This was up by 6% on the same period in 2010 and is substantially higher than the UK average of £205,000. The mean annual average price of flats for 2010 was £214,000 for one-bed and £308,000 for two-bed. Three-bedroom houses were £512,000 and four-bed ones £715,000, with the latter much in demand.

(Average Q1 2011 figures in box, above right).

The volume of transactions is inevitably held back by the limited supply of available properties: 205 were sold in the last quarter of 2010, and 231 in Q1 2011. There is huge pressure on land and, since building in the countryside is effectively disallowed, development of new housing has to be in and around St Helier. One area of opportunity is the conversion of commercial space back to housing, as businesses relocate to new purpose-built developments. Planning restrictions are tight and strictly applied, though the States of Jersey's Draft Island Plan published in September 2009 does anticipate some

QUALITY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN DEMAND Expanding financial services have long underpinned Jersey's office sector and, although the pace of growth has slackened recently, there remains strong demand for quality commercial property. According to the minister for planning and environment, there was around 2.8 million sq ft of office stock in St Helier in 2009 and the annual take-up has been around 200-225,000sq ft during the past three years. At the end of 2009 there was 165,000sq ft (5.8% of stock) available for immediate occupation and potential sites with planning consent could provide a further 185,000sq ft of prime space during the next three to four years.

The demand for new accommodation is driven by the island's larger banks and trust companies. Many are looking for greater efficiency and cost savings by relocating from smaller buildings around St Helier to larger, purpose-built headquarters on the waterfront.

The best office stock is currently located in New Street, Bath Street, Bond Street, Hill Street and Grenville Street.

Grade A space is in demand in these areas and it can exceed £30 per sq ft, though good quality offices in St Helier are still

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0

Last year, Jersey was the seventh richest country in the world in terms of GDP, behind Bermuda and norway

141 13,000

Jersey has over hotels and guesthouses, providing over

beds

Jersey’s stable house prices Property type

average price (£) Q1-2011

Four-bedroom house Three-bedroom house Two-bedroom flat One-bedroom flat

698,000 510,000 328,000 197,000

(Source: States of Jersey Statistics Unit)

Jersey’s workers enjoy a higher skills profile than the mainland: Sector Financial services Administration Managers/senior official Public administration Tourism Construction Education and health

(% of workforce) 23 19 16 12 11.4 9.4 9.2

(Source: States of Jersey Statistics Unit)

St helier has over annual mixadjusted House prices for 2010 averaged £489,000, much higher than the UK at £162,000

260,000

available at £25 per sq ft or less. These costs are a fraction of those in London, where many of Jersey's major financial businesses also have offices. Looking ahead, the island's office market is expected to steadily improve in quality as it moves into new developments around St Helier's harbour.

Jersey's Draft Island Plan for the next decade states that the office market needs more choice and flexibility and this should be provided in the Esplanade area rather than on any newly zoned land elsewhere. It also anticipates that at least 100,000sq ft of current office accommodation in St Helier will become obsolete during the next five years and as much as 250,000sq ft by 2020. Official policy is that this will provide opportunities for regeneration in the town and that the loss of space will be more than compensated for by the new projects that are already in the pipeline.

WATERFRONT EXPANSION There have been some edge-of-town developments such as Lime Grove, but Jersey's property market is very much concentrating on St Helier's waterfront for its expansion.

This area also provides excellent potential for boosting the island's retail and leisure facilities, both of which remain less developed than might be expected for Jersey's affluent population and many visitors. The States of Jersey's current Draft Island Plan states the expectation that the core of the office market, especially for the island’s larger institutions,

sq m of office space

will shift to the Esplanade area and that this move will release properties elsewhere in St Helier for conversion to residential and retail or leisure use.

Improvements have already taken place around St Helier's waterfront and both the Royal Yacht Hotel and the Grand Hotel have had major refurbishments. There is also Liberation House, a new office development which has attracted Ernst & Young as an early occupier, while Windward House is the corporate HQ for BDO Alto, among others. But the most significant catalyst for transforming the harbour is Liberty Wharf, the mixed-use scheme taken over by Harcourt in 2008.

Liberty Wharf provides St Helier's first dedicated shopping centre as well as restaurants, bars and cafes, all in an attractive setting created by converting listed stone buildings by the side of the harbour. The whole development also includes a new tourist office, the two office blocks, as well as short-stay apartments aimed primarily at the business visitor market.

The waterfront environment has great potential for St Helier's continuing development, not just as a high quality office location but also for the tourist industry and the quality of life of the island's residents. Projects such as Liberty Wharf, combined with public realm improvements around the harbour, are now on course to deliver the transformation of the whole Esplanade area within the next decade. lw

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Liberty Wharf 43

HARCOURT developments

REcent case studies Titanic Quarter is one of Europe’s largest urban waterfront schemes, regenerating a 75-ha site on Belfast’s River Lagan into a mixed-use quarter with a mile of water frontage. The development consists of residential, office space, hotels and academic facilities, alongside leisure, retail and heritage space. A co-promotion between Harcourt associate, Titanic Quarter Ltd, and Belfast Harbour, more than 20,000 people will work or live in the £7 billion-plus Titanic Quarter development. The site is on shipbuilding land, from which the RMS Titanic, Olympic and SS Canberra were launched. It is close to the city centre and George Best Belfast City Airport.

Completed or in progressi Titanic belfast Titanic Belfast is a world-class visitor attraction for RMS Titanic, located on the slipways where she was built.

Constructed at a cost of £97 million, the unique architectural design is influenced by several maritime themes, including the forward bow of the RMS Titanic and the insignia of the White Star Line.

The external facade is clad in several thousand three-dimensional aluminium plates, creating an

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bottom left Progress on Titanic Belfast in May 2011. left 2009 – excavation of the site before building shows the scale of the Titanic Belfast project.

Right Laois Shopping Centre: construction of the three-level underground car park. Tesco opened a 90,000sq ft store in April 2011.

awe-inspiring visual appearance, which is further enhanced by reflective pools of water surrounding the base of the structure.

The 14,000sq m venue accommodates nine galleries of interactive exhibition space, including a dark ride, underwater exploration theatre, reconstructions of the ship’s decks and cabins, and a luxurious conference and banqueting suite, with the largest room seating 750 people.

Construction began in May 2009 and is scheduled for completion in March 2012.

Basement and bulk dig facts and figures: ◆T o form the basement area of over 1-ha, 80,000 cubic metres were excavated, involving 10,000 truckloads of material being removed from the site ◆B asement construction was through Belfast Sleech, beside the River Lagan, at 8m below ground floor level ◆A lluvial dredging was used to create Queens Island which was very unstable ◆O ver 1,000 secant piles covering a perimeter of approx 500 metres were used. Piles 600mm diameter to a depth of 18m were restrained by ground anchors

“The largest concrete pour of its type in Ireland” Titanic Belfast

“Excavated material ... the equivalent of 22,500 truck loads” Laois Shopping Centre ◆ Over

1,000 bearing piles were used, 600mm diameter to 23m ◆B asement concrete slab was 1.1m deep and used over 2,500 tons of reinforcement steel ◆ Th e first concrete pour covered almost 0.5-ha, 4,200m3. The largest concrete pour of its type in Ireland, it saw over 50 concrete trucks working from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, requiring eight concrete pumps ◆F or further information visit www.titanicbelfast.com

Laois shopping centre The €60 million extension and refurbishment of Laois Shopping Centre in Portlaoise, Ireland, comprises 23,000sq m of retail and a three-level basement car park. The underground car park site is over 1.2-ha in

total, around 12,000m per floor.

Basement and bulk dig facts and figures: ◆ To enable the 12m deep excavation, a 15m deep secant pile wall was installed around the basement perimeter. The pile wall was restrained by a rock anchor system, allowing excavation with little obstruction from temporary works. On completion of the excavation, 1,200 uplift anchors were installed to prevent uplift of the structure by groundwater. A 450mm deep concrete basement slab was then cast over the area.

Other levels and wideslab of the car park were constructed using a combination of in situ and precast rising elements, post tensioned beams. Over 900 secant piles, 1m in diameter, were installed at a depth of 12m. These were installed using four piling rigs over a four month period ◆ The excavated material amounted to approximately 180,000m3 (15,000m by 12m deep), the equivalent to 22,500 truck loads, with approx 50,000m3 of it hard limestone ◆ An agreement with Laois County Council allowed disposal of the inert material at its landfill site, at an average rate of 300 truckloads a day. Traffic management plans agreed with the council ensured disruption to Portlaoise was kept to a minimum, and the majority of the stone was recycled in the construction of a nearby motorway. lw

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Liberty Wharf 45

contacts

For more information on Liberty Wharf. contact Islands Development Limited, Albert House, La Route de la Liberation, St Helier, Jersey, JE2 3NY.

t: 00 441534 720033. e: manager@liberty-wharf.com.

46 Liberty Wharf

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How can somewhere so stimulating be so relaxing?

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