Channel Islands 17-1

Issue #17/1

FREE COPY

December 2011

this issue q HMP La Moye 04

Construction Magazine

q Peter Falla 06 q Guernsey Water 09 q Jardin de Haut 15

Channel Islands Construction Focus The premier information tool for the construction industry www.premierconstructionmagazine.com

contents

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featured 04 06 09 15 20 22

HMP La Moye Peter Falla Guernsey Water Jardin de Haut RG Falla Jersey Oyster

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from the editor

Publisher ROMA Publications

Dear readers,

The Channel Islands are a diverse and vibrant place to live and there are many exciting new developments that have been designed to maintain the future growth of the region.

This month our magazine explores the innovative projects that are shaping the Channel Islands.

Across the islands, buildings are being developed to revitalise areas and establish thriving communities. Jersey’s Jardin de Haut development will provide thirty-three new homes for the island, in the process uniting a community. Once completed in 2012, it will be the perfect location for families and first time buyers.

Safety and security at home is paramount, but so is providing for those who are in direct contact with criminal offenders. At Jersey’s HMP La Moye, a new centre is under construction in order to create much needed space and facilities for visitors and staff.

HMP La Moye provides important services for those involved in its operation and investing in its expansion will continue to maintain this hard work.

Follow Premier Construction on: Twitter: twitter.com/PCbyRoma Weblog: http://premierconstruction. wordpress.com

Managing Director Marcus Howarth EDITORIAL Editor: Charlotte Emily Brazier Phone: 01706 716 255 Email: charlotte@romauk.net

In the current financial climate, developing work procedures that are cost-effective is a business necessity. With products exported across the UK and France, Jersey Oyster is one such company that has tailored its business practices in order to maximise profit. Through the relocation of its processing facility, Jersey Oyster hopes to improve efficiency over the coming year and work towards a successful 2012.

Everyday services can be taken for granted and it’s easy to forget how vital fresh running water is to any community. Throughout 2011, Guernsey Water has been involved in a number of operations which aim to benefit their customers. This has included centralising three of its business operations through the construction of Brickfield House and the installation of a new pumping station in the Douit du Moulin area.

The landscape of Guernsey continues to develop as it meets the needs of its residents. RG Falla is a leading building contractor that continually shapes and defines the island through important new projects, providing the island with schools, hotels and apartments. Their latest projects - Mont Havelet and Les Beaucamps School - continue this tradition, ensuring that residents will continue to benefit from the company’s commitment to their home turf.

We now ask you, readers, to look at the exciting developments that are shaping your future.

Assistant Editor: Alex Wiggan Phone: 01706 716 257 Email: alex@romauk.net Admin Executive Coordinator: Joanne Murphy Phone: 01706 716 251 Email: joanne@romauk.net ADVERTISING Sales and Marketing: Nicola Owen Phone: 01706 719 972 Email: admin@romauk.net SUBSCRIPTIONS Phone: 01706 719 972 Fax: 0845 458 4446 Email: admin@romauk.net DESIGN Graphic Designer: MarcusMacaulay.co.uk PRINT Advent www.advent-colour.co.uk GENERAL ENQUIRIES ROMA Publications Ltd Floor 2, 1 Livsey Street, Rochdale, Greater Manchester. OL16 1SS Phone: 01706 719972 Fax: 0845 458 4446 Emai: admin@romauk.net Website: www.romauk.net COPYRIGHT © Roma Publications Ltd. All contents are copyright. All rights are reserved. No part may be stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the publishers. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies however caused.

Contributed material does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. The editorial policy and general layout of this publication are at the discretion of the publisher and no debate will be entered into. No responsibility can be accepted for illustrations, artwork or photographs whilst in transmission with the publishers or their agents unless a commitment is made in writing prior to the receipt of such terms.

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New prison visitor centre for Jersey

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he new HMP La Moye centre will provide much needed space for both staff and visitors when it opens in May 2012.

The £4m project, entitled ‘New Visitor & Staff Facilities Building - Phase 4’, will see main contractor AC Mauger Construction build a new centre on the site of the existing La Moye prison.

Construction began in May 2011 and is currently running ahead of schedule, having reached the halfway point of its planned 55-week contract.

Once complete, the centre will provide much needed space for staff and visitors at the island’s only prison. It is hoped that this will prove beneficial for the longevity of the prison and reduce the impact of any future rise in the prison population.

Designed by UK based architects Taylor Young, the new centre comprises a traditional steel frame with a combination of treatments, such as Forticrete blockwork, zinc cladding and stonework. Work has

also included the installation of ballistic standard glazed units.

The centre features traditional internal walls that have incorporated a combination of blockwork and metal stud partitions. Once the internal walls are complete, the internal finishes will include plaster, paint, vinyl, carpet and furniture.

During the build, several necessary security measures have been introduced, including secure standard internal doors and screens.

Associated external hard and soft landscaping work will take place, however this aspect of the build will not be extensive.

Due to the nature of the daily operations of HMP La Moye, working around the prison has posed a number of key concerns. This has meant that extra precautions have been put in place for the AC Mauger Construction team whilst they have been working onsite.

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”As you would expect, given its location, the security protocol is also extremely stringent.”

AC Mauger Construction Manager, Gary Peat, said: ”Logistically the site is challenging due to the limited amount of space available. ”As you would expect, given its location, the security protocol is also extremely stringent.”

HMP La Moye opened during the 1970s and is currently the only prison on the island of Jersey. As a result, it houses a range of offenders from the ages of 15 and over - including juveniles, young offenders and adults.

The prison has seven residential wings with a capacity for 184 prisoners in single and double cells, including segregated areas for both male and female prisoners. The second phase of the redevelopment of HMP La Moye saw a new wing for 62 prisoners created, enabling the centre to provide modern accommodation that meets today’s standards.

HMP La Moye actively encourages prisoners to take part in the education system and the library facilities are therefore readily available to the inmates. The

library opened in November 2007 as part of the new Learning and Skills programme and stocks in excess of 2,000 items. The library aims to promote reading for pleasure, support all aspects of learning and education, improve literacy levels and encourage users to develop interests, hobbies and skills.

The prison also offers workshops for vocational training, with subjects including: bricklaying, catering, gardening and horticulture, industrial cleaning and laundry.

A July 2005 HMCIP report stated: ‘We were impressed, in most areas of the prison, by the proactive relationships between staff and prisoners: most prisoners told us they knew their personal officer, and had a member of staff to whom they could turn.’

Now that the ever expanding needs of prisoners, staff and visitors are being addressed, Jersey’s only prison continues to build onwards and upwards.

”Out-of-the-box, fantastic architectural ideas”: Peter Falla and Associates

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eter Falla and Associates have worked on a diverse range of international projects, including large-scale city master-planning. However, some of their most recent projects showcase their talent in smaller-scale residential and commercial buildings on their home turf of Guernsey.

Baubigny Farm

In Spring 2011, work began on the site of Baubigny Farm to create nine new and refurbished homes.

The original farmhouse was constructed in 1822 and the estate has since increased to ten acres. In 2005, a large percentage of the land was sold so that the development of St Samson’s High School could commence.

PF+A were briefed to effectively utilise the remaining land to provide small yet practical homes for young families. In 2011 planning permission was awarded to refurbish the main farmhouse and bungalow and convert the barn in order to produce three refurbished housing units. An additional six new dwellings will be built, including one and twobedroom family homes. Each of these will benefit from a garden and two allocated parking spaces.

The prestigious new development will be constructed to an extremely high standard and is due to be completed in late 2011. The development is to be sold off-plan, allowing purchasers the opportunity to tailor their new home as the build develops.

Managing Director Peter Falla explained: ”Peter Falla and Associates were briefed to

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improve the previously approved plans in order to provide good quality new housing on the Baubigny site. In addition, proposals to convert existing outbuildings were sensitively redesigned to upgrade the accommodation provided. The result is a mix of new and traditional units, which will appeal to young families and downsizing couples.”

Paul Nobes is Director of the developers Infinity Group. He commented: ”The nine dwellings at Baubigny Farm will be a very high specification, especially so in the affordable price bracket. We are trying to provide quality affordable houses and separate them out from anything else in the market. ”We particularly used PF+A because we trust them, and they provide out-of-the-box, fantastic architectural ideas.”

Alex Ford, Director of Sarnia Estate Agents added: ”With the lack of quality affordable housing in the Guernsey market, the Baubigny site is a refreshing addition to the local housing market.”

Brownhill Nursing Home

PF+A have also designed a large extension for Brownhill Nursing Home in The Rohais, St Peter Port.

The client’s brief was to extend the building and retain the community feel whilst catering for the elderly.

PF+A provided drawings for new resident accommodation, a laundry room, an assisted bathroom and a bright and airy communal sitting room. This sitting room links with the existing conservatory of the main house and will incorporate an octagon-shaped roof lantern to provide plenty of natural light.

Eight additional comfortable bedrooms will also be added, all of which will have en-suite shower rooms. Six of these bedroom suites are designed with attractive arch-topped doors that lead out onto a patio area which overlooks the landscaped garden.

The overall architectural plans accommodate residents’ specific mobility needs. This includes an easily navigable internal ramp that provides a

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The result is a striking, grand structure with tall columns echoing the Palladian architecture which was popular in the Georgian era. change in level from the existing building down to the new bedrooms.

Brownhill Nursing Home is owned by C.I Healthcare Ltd and the build is due for completion in spring 2012.

Kings House

In a rather different project, Peter Falla and Associates designed the new headquarters for Trust Corporation.

The 4,000 sq ft headquarters adds to the existing Roseneath office, which lies adjacent to the new site. The new Kings House is a workplace with the aesthetic appeal of a period property and all the advantages of a new build.

PF+A Director Alex Whitmore said: ”We came up with the proposal for a new office building which would complement Roseneath, a beautiful Georgian property. Kings House also has to sit comfortably alongside other buildings on The Grange, many of which date from the Georgian or Regency periods. We worked hard to ensure the design and proportions are just right, applying the rules of symmetry, often valued by Georgian town planners.”

The result is a striking, grand structure with tall columns which echo the Palladian architecture that was popular in the Georgian era. The sash windows are a particular triumph: they are perfect (though double-glazed) copies of those at Roseneath. The tall windows necessitate higher ceilings than those normally seen in a modern office, providing a light and airy feel.

The detailing only adds to Kings House’s authenticity. On the west elevation is a black wrought iron Juliet balcony which harmonises with the lamp over the door. Other features include roof parapet detailing, railings and even cast iron guttering and downpipes, all with a fleur de lys design.

Behind the period facade, the interior of Kings House has all the sophistication of a modern workplace.

Access floors allow all the cabling to be stored in the space beneath, giving the offices a clean, neat look.

There is also air conditioning throughout the building and a cooling system is installed in the loft space, which is where the computer servers are housed.

PF+A always seek to make their projects

ecologically sound and Kings House is no exception.

The building is thoroughly insulated and several other sustainable features have been incorporated in the design in order to ensure that it is very energy efficient.

Other up-to-date elements include a lift for disabled access and a well appointed kitchen. There is also a subterranean data link with Roseneath to allow the two buildings to function seamlessly as one campus.

Taking inspiration from the past and combining it with innovative new ideas is a winning formula that is sure to stand the test of time.

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Another busy year for Guernsey Water

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uernsey Water has enjoyed another busy year of capital development projects, ranging from the creation of a new operational depot in St Andrews to vital surface and foul water main separations in St Peter Port.

As a business unit of Guernsey’s Public Services Department, Guernsey Water oversees the collection, treatment and distribution of high quality drinking water to around 65,000 islanders. Despite being part of the States of Guernsey, Guernsey Water acts as a trading board with a turnover of £10m per annum, and creates all of its income from water charges.

Around half of this income is invested into the drinking water infrastructure, which consists of over 500km of water main, four water treatment works, sixteen raw water storage reservoirs, four treated water service reservoirs and twelve raw water pumping stations. There is no external shareholding

in the business.

2011 was a typically busy year for GW, and included closer working with Guernsey’s wastewater function.

The proposal to amalgamate the two functions into one body will be considered by the States of Guernsey early in 2012.

Here are a few of the capital projects that took place during 2011:

Brickfield House Operational Depot

For much of Guernsey Water’s history (and previously the States Water Board), staff and operations have traditionally been spread out over a number of sites.

However, the long-term intention has always been to bring everyone and everything together into one site, and in 2011, this ambition was finally realised.

Back in 2003, the States Water Board purchased the St Andrew’s quarry site for £2million. After carrying out stabilisation works on some of the

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2011 was a typically busy year for GW, and included closer working with Guernsey’s wastewater function.

quarry walls and installing the service infrastructure, consideration began on creating a new operational centre on the site which would allow full centralisation of the business. This ambition was noted within Guernsey Water’s first Business Plan, published in 2003.

However, there followed a long hiatus while the States Water Board/Guernsey Water worked to gain the appropriate planning permissions from the Environment Department. Planning permission was finally gained in December 2009 which allowed the tendering process to begin. The development contract was awarded to Harbour View in February 2010, and work began two months later.

The contract value was just under £5million, and this was funded through the rationalisation and selling off of Guernsey Water’s property assets. This included the disposal of Jubilee Terrace at South Esplanade in St Peter Port, where a number of staff had previously been sited.

The contract required the development of a fitfor-purpose operational depot which would be able to meet the business’ requirements for fabrication, machining, storage and electrical testing, whilst allowing space for the centralisation of all 75 or so staff into one building. As staff and operations had previously been spread among three sites (South Esplanade, St Saviours treatment works and the original depot at the St Andrew’s site) this took careful planning in order to balance the needs of the business with the requirements of the planners.

The first phase of the contract, the development of the depot itself, was completed by early May 2011.

The second phase, the demolition of the old depot and creation of a new external compound area began straight after this, and was completed within two months. The third and final phase, external works and car-parks, was completed on 22nd August 2011.

By the end of September the snagging items were rectified and the project complete.

An opening ceremony was held for the depot on 13th May 2011 shortly after the first phase was complete, and the building was officially named ‘Brickfield House’. The site has been referred to as the Brickfields since the 19th century, so it seemed a fitting name to tie the past and future together.

The benefits of centralising operations and staff onto one site were myriad - overhead costs would be reduced by operating and maintaining one building instead of three; staff communications and morale would be improved by working under the same roof in a new purpose-built depot; staff time would be saved by not having to travel from one site to another for meetings/discussions etc.

At the time of writing, staff have been working in Brickfield House for over six months, and already the benefits of closer working and cross-pollination can be seen. Efficiencies and better ways of working are being realised, and this can only benefit the business, and ultimately, the customer.

Douit du Moulin Pumping Station

As any water business will tell you, capturing precipitation when it falls is absolutely key in ensuring that customer demand for potable water can be met. Guernsey Water operates a number of pumping stations dotted around the coastline, which are able to capture the streamflow which does not travel directly into storage reservoirs, before it is lost to sea. Collecting and pumping ‘fresh water’ is far cheaper than desalination treatment.

In 2008, Guernsey Water identified the need for a new pumping station in the Douit du Moulin area in St Peters. The Pre du Murie station further inland was reaching the end of its useful operational life, and it was decided that the replacement station

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would be situated closer to the coast, giving it the capability to capture streamflow from an even greater area.

Local contractors United Formwork & Carpentry Ltd began work on site in July 2009. The £345k-rated contract for the station included the installation of a state-of-the-art mechanical screen manufactured

by Huber, which circulates a perforated conveyor belt to remove debris (e.g. leaves, twigs) from the streamflow. This kind of screening is typically used in wastewater applications, but Guernsey Water decided that this innovative approach would work very well in a clean water application. The screens remove anything larger than 6mm diameter, and have a built-in wash cycle to keep them clean and operating effectively.

Liaison took place with La Société Guernesiaise, Guernsey’s local history and conservation society, as the stream intake needed to be installed on their land. The intake was designed in such a way that it does not appear incongruous in the attractive fields and meadows of the area.

The station itself was completed in June 2010, but further landscaping and screening works were carried out up to the end of that year. In early 2011 negotiations were formalised with La Société Guernesiaise regarding the management of the stream intake on their land, and by April 2011 the

project was officially completed, and came in under budget by nearly £30k.

The now defunct Pre du Murie pumping station has been put up for sale with planning permission in place to convert it into residential accommodation.

Income from this sale will be reinvested in Guernsey Water’s capital development programme.

Rehabilitation of Raw Water Transfer Main: Kings Mills WTW - St Saviours WTW

Guernsey Water invests a lot of time and money into maintaining and improving the 500km of water main which reside under the ground. Maintaining the resilience of the network and the quality of water transported through it is vital to the business’ operations, and the capital programme takes this into account by apportioning expenditure to mains rehabilitation and replacement each year.

One of the key strategic lengths of raw water main is the one between the two treatment works’ at Kings Mills in Castel and at St Saviours. It runs for 2.35km between the two plants and allows the raw water to be transferred from one to the other depending on demand and circumstances. At present, the treatment plant at Kings Mills is used as a back-up. However, plans are afoot to upgrade the plant to modern day standards which would improve water quality when it is required. Water Safety Plans

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The now defunct Pre du Murie pumping station has been put up for sale with planning permission in place to convert it into residential accommodation.

have indicated that it is essential that Guernsey Water is able to transfer raw water between all of its treatment plants in order to be as resilient and reliable as possible.

Starting in early October 2010, Guernsey Water staff began the rehabilitation of the 16” UPVC main by sliplining the main with new HPPE (High Performance Polyethylene). Due to past experience in pipe rehabilitation, staff were able to carry out the task without recourse to external contractors (apart from the hiring of local company Ronez to excavate the roads where necessary). Unusually, parts of the main were located under private land, which necessitated the need to liaise with landowners in order to get the relevant permissions. Fortunately, the landowners were very cooperative and allowed the project to progress on time and to budget.

By February 2011 the project was complete, and another strategic piece of water infrastructure was secured for the next few generations.

St Saviours WTW – Installation of an Electrolytic Chlorine Generation Plant

Chlorine is an essential chemical for water businesses, as it is used for keeping treated water at a high quality while it passes through the distribution network (i.e. where water is transferred to customer homes). In Guernsey, chlorine disinfects the water through the use of a ‘contact tank’, which is a tank with different compartments into which the chemical is pumped. The treated water is mixed

in the tank, and the design of the tank ensures that all of the water comes into contact with the chlorine for a specified amount of time, disinfecting it thoroughly.

The problem that many water companies face is that chlorine is a hazardous chemical, and poses a danger to human health if not handled correctly.

Originally, Guernsey Water would import cylinders of chlorine from the UK. However, this was an expensive and potentially dangerous process. In order to improve the process, Guernsey Water contracted Severn Trent Services to install an onsite electrolytic chlorine generation plant at each of the major sites.

The plant works by passing a direct electric current through a brine solution (water containing salt), creating sodium hypochlorite, which is then used to disinfect the treated water. Creating chlorine in this manner is much safer than dealing with large quantities of chlorine gas, and is more cost-effective as chlorine cylinders do not need to be imported then returned again once empty. At St Saviours the plant was manufactured by ClorTec, and the main civil engineering works package awarded to local company Crocker Civil Engineering following competitive tendering, at a cost of £178k.

The project began on site in October 2010, and was successfully completed a year later. Commissioning of the plant had to be planned carefully as it required taking the water treatment works offline for a short period of time. For the next step, Guernsey Water

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will be installing a similar plant at one of its service reservoirs in the Forest.

Kings Mills WTW - Interim Improvements

As mentioned previously, it is planned to upgrade Kings Mills WTW in order to produce better quality drinking water when it is called into action. Before this can happen, it is important that the basic infrastructure at Kings Mills was improved to an interim level whereby the upgrading could take place.

The main thrust of these interim works was to maintain the integrity of the contact tank and to improve the basic control and operation of the plant. One of the key aspects of this was to fit new filter nozzles into the existing sand tanks; a careful operation in which 1,300 nozzles were installed to within a 3mm tolerance over a four-day period. The nozzles work in two different ways - when the tank is full of water, gravity pulls the water down through the 3mm holes in the nozzles, filtering it through to a lateral pipe which transports the water away for further treatment in the contact tank. Once the filter becomes blocked, then they are backwashed with air being pumped back through the nozzles. This cleans the filter and after a period of water washing and recirculation the normal filtering process resumes.

Contractors AMT (Applied Materials Transfer Systems Ltd) installed the filter nozzles, and the project which ran from April to October was completed on time and within budget. The next set of upgrading works will take place in early 2012.

Once these works have been carried out, Guernsey Water will be able to decommission Juas WTW in St Sampsons, which is also currently acting as a backup WTW. This rationalisation of two back-ups into one will reduce expenditure on maintenance and overhead costs.

Wastewater Business Plan and CCTV Survey

Guernsey Water’s wastewater section also had a very busy 2011, with the creation of their first Business Plan which will run from 2012 - 2019. The plan is due to receive final approval from the States of Guernsey in January 2012, and outlines the key issues and capital expenditure required over the next eight years in order to maintain, improve and extend the wastewater infrastructure in a planned and resilient manner.

Part of the plan involved carrying out a CCTV

survey of the wastewater network, which consists of 150km of foul and surface water mains. Contractors OnSite carried out the work, the field element of which took place between September and December of 2010. The survey involved the use of a remotecontrolled mobile camera system which was inserted into the sewer through manholes. Many hours of footage were collected and pored through to look for problems with the condition and/or structure of the sewers.

Once the mass of data was collected and sorted (the analysis of the data continued into March 2011), a categorisation of sewer condition was carried out which informed a prioritised plan of rehabilitation - and this forms the backbone of the Wastewater Business Plan.

Vauvert Surface Water Separation

Historically, much of Guernsey’s urban wastewater network was built as a combined sewer system, so both foul flows (wastewater) and surface water flows (rainwater) travelled through the same pipe.

As the Island’s population grew, foul flows through the system increased, and when combined with heavy rainfall, sewers would overflow, causing spills and flooding of ‘stormwater’ (a mix of sewage and rainwater). Sewage treatment requires the flows to be separated, so as to reduce volumes and guarantee the effectiveness of the bacteriological processes.

To counteract this, a programme of surface water separation has been running for a number of years, which essentially splits the two flows so that overflows are less likely to occur. One such project taking place in 2011 was the separation of flows in Vauvert, St Peter Port, which involved the installation of a new surface water main in the road.

Local contractors Geomarine began work on the contract during the 2011 school summer holidays in order to minimise inconvenience for the nearby primary school. The contract value was £150k, and formed part of a multi-phased project to separate flows in St Peter Port. Further works will take place along the remaining area of Vauvert in the future, and similar works at the adjoining New Place will commence in the 2012 summer holidays.

The new surface water main was immediately put to the test by a heavy rainfall event on 6th September - and it was pleasing to report that it passed with flying colours!

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Jardin de Haut development is nearing completion

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An exciting project to provide thirty-three much needed homes is nearing completion in Jersey. he Jardin de Haut development is within walking distance of the local school, pub, and church and comprises: 14 twobedroom single storey dwellings that have been built for the over fifty-fives and administered by a housing trust, 10 three-bedroom houses with garages for first time buyers, 5 four-bedroom family homes for sale to first time buyers, and 4 two-bedroom units for sale to the over fifty-fives on the open market.

In order for the project to commence, the glasshouses on fields 561 and 562 in Rue de la Vallee were demolished. The countryside zone is designated as a Category A housing site and falls within the water pollution safeguard area.

The ÂŁ11m scheme is intended to cultivate a village ambience and ensure that a community spirit is nurtured. It is also hoped that young families with

children will revitalise the Parish school and ensure its growth and improvement.

Alpine Contractors Limited is developing the project, which has been designed by Lovell Ozanne &

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Partners Ltd. Works began in January 2011 and the development will be completed in early 2012.

The site has been under the foremanship of Jeff Russ, who has ably marshalled his merry band of tradesmen for the last twelve months in cohorts with NSJ Contract Management Limited, a local firm of Chartered Surveyors and Chartered Building Consultants who have acted as Project and Contract Managers for the development.

NSJ Contract Management has provided a management service to ensure that the building fabric is constructed in accordance with agreed drawings. The company advises upon matters on Contract documentation, financial payments and programme whilst acting on behalf of the client to achieve a successful completion by way of: advising upon initial costing, attending regular meetings on site and issue of minutes for client information. In addition, they complete regular inspections of the works, checking and submitting recommendation for payment of interim and final accounts.

The homes have incorporated a traditional design in order to remain sympathetic to the existing surroundings. They feature pitched roofs over rendered elevations, along with detailing around the windows to create a pleasing courtyard development.

All properties have fitted kitchens and carry a ten year insurance backed structural guarantee.

The scheme is subject to a development brief, which has adopted a 20% increase in thermal efficiency to the Jersey bye-laws. This has been achieved by ensuring a good quality specification in terms of the cavity construction and insulation standards.

Each of the houses for the over fifty-fives has a disabled-friendly bathroom featuring a walk in shower. There is also a living/dining room and a

master bedroom. In the roof space of four of the units, there is a generous second bedroom and the majority of the homes also contain an additional shower room.

The properties range in price from £425,000 to £475,000, with over half of the houses already sold and all of the 14 two-bedroom single storey dwellings sold to the Les Vaux Housing Trust.

The project also comprises extensive planting and landscaping. This includes two Petanque courts, which will provide an attractive country development in a picturesque part of the Island. The hard landscaping will include a mixture of different sizes, colours and textures to the concrete block paving, with the colours ranging from yellow to grey.

Soft landscaping will include the large-scale planting of trees, which is hoped to create an interesting aesthetic mix.

Andy Merrett, Lovell Ozanne, said: ”It is an interesting development in the juxtaposition of the buildings and the external landscaping. What we’ve tried hard to do is incorporate a village feel within the development. ”Works have progressed extremely well and Alpine Contractors are even working ahead of schedule.

There have been no difficulties other than the normal planning requirements and obligations to the local parish, and everyone is very pleased with the progress that is being made.”

Stuart Pirouet of NSJ Contract Management Limited, added: ”All of the relevant teams have worked very well together and the dry weather has been an added benefit.”

The completion of the Jardin de Haut housing development has been much anticipated, providing much needed family homes to first time buyers in

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a country setting where young families can bring up their children with a pleasant, safe environment.

Many of the prospective buyers have stated that this type of home is exactly what the first time buyers want, rather than being forced to live in a flat in town with no amenities and little prospect of moving on. Young couples want a good sized home with a garden, which, in most cases, will be their home for life.

Lovell Ozanne

Lovell Ozannne provides a full range of architectural and surveying services from inception through to completion. Established since 1958, they have a wealth of experience and knowledge of all construction sectors and continue to work both in the Channel Islands and the UK. Lovell Ozanne are client and design focused, taking time to formulate the brief and provide architectural solutions appropriate to client requirements and site opportunities.

�All of the relevant teams have worked very well together and the dry weather has been an added benefit.�

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Constructing the landscape of Guernsey

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G Falla has been a familiar name in Guernsey since 1956. Over the last 55 years, the award winning company has worked on a number of high profile projects that have helped to shape the beautiful island.

RG Falla’s impressive portfolio includes a number of new constructions and refurbishments, including: St Andrews Grammar School, Fermain Hotel, Vega Apartments, the Royal Court building and Marina View.

The company has recently completed a £35 million scheme for Comprop to construct two four-storey 90,000 sq ft office blocks at Admiral Park in St Peter Port and a £22 million development for LPE Ltd to construct a high tech financial institution.

RG Falla work towards a number of key policies, including the management and promotion of renewable materials, recycling resources wherever possible and sourcing local materials to cut down on excessive transportation.

RG Falla always try to meet the requirements of the client, and, to date, no job has proved too big for the company. Their ability to diversify is testament to their commitment to the residents of Guernsey and the company prides themselves on their reputation for quality.

RG Falla is part of the Garenne Group, which invests specifically in the development of construction, property and industry related businesses operating in the Channel Islands.

Over the past 55 years the award winning company has worked on a number of high profile projects.

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Garenne Stand

RG Falla has recently completed the high profile sporting structure Garenne Stand, located at Footes Lane. The £11.5 million project was carried out for Footes Lane Stand Company and involved works on the Stand’s existing first floor to create a club house for Guernsey RFC, modern function rooms and a new kitchen. The 80-week project also included modifying the ground floor changing rooms to incorporate facilities for up to four teams.

Architects for the project were MOORAC and the Engineers were Dorey, Lyle & Ashman.

Mont Havelet

For the Mont Havelet development, RG Falla has demolished the existing building in order to construct an exciting new structure.

The £4m development comprises three open-market apartments and a semibasement car park. When completed, the project will feature a reinforced in-situ concrete frame with an insulated render

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and stone cladding facade. There will be timber frame sash windows at the front of the building and aluminium glazing to the rear.

Works began on site in August 2010 and are expected to be completed in March 2012. Architects for the project were Atelier Bas MOORAC and the Engineers were Campbell & Bloese Ltd.

Les Beaucamps School

RG Falla is currently involved in the redevelopment of Les Beaucamps School, which will see a new school constructed to replace the school that previously existed on the site.

Works commenced in November 2010 and the £30 million project is set to reach completion in July 2011.

Architects are Design Engine and the Engineers are Peter Brett Associates.

”We’ve been very fortunate that this year has been exceptionally dry, and we’ve only had 1/5th of the average rainfall in the last few months.”

Fresh new move for Jersey Oyster

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ersey-based shellfish processing facility Jersey Oyster is approaching the 90% completion point of its brand new £1.5million, self-funded plant.

The move will see the company, who specialise in processing oysters and mussels, relocate its operation from two previously rented properties on the island to a new family-owned site at La Ferme, Grouville.

Including the obtainment of planning permission, the development of the site has been a seven-year process; however, the feedback received so far has been very positive.

The new 1500 sq m facility comprises three designated zones that have been designed to minimise noise and disruption to the local neighbourhood. The main work will be contained within the building, whilst there will be an unloading area to the side for tractors and trailers coming from the beach. Oysters taken from the trailers will then be fed through the building to up to a dozen staff, who will operate grading and sorting machinery.

Directly adjacent to this will be a separate purification and pre-packing area, which will enable the company to develop the product further. The shellfish will then be purified and exported from the island, with a large percentage of the produce transported to France and around the UK. The oysters that Jersey Oyster sources are grown on the beach, just a few hundred yards from the site. Following their selection, they are brought up

to the building to be graded and sorted. As this process is repeated several times throughout a twoyear growing cycle, the move will help improve the efficiency of the work at the plant whilst reducing disruption to the surrounding area.

The design of the facility was conceived by local architects Dyson & Buesnel, but subcontracted out to Le Boucher SAS who completed the main structure and Lebre SAS who completed some of the interior fit-outs. John Allo from Tillyard was project manager for the build and he assisted the project to ensure it was delivered on budget and on time.

A Jersey Oyster spokesman said: ”On the exterior we’ve gone for a rendered look finish on the cladding panels. To the north and the east of the site there are evergreen oaks, poplars and a range of hawthorn hedges that screen the site very well. This means that the roofline isn’t all that visible as the trees on both sides of the property shelter it.” ”It’s a nice design and people who may have been critical at one point have been pretty complimentary about it.”

The remainder of the work includes a few finishing touches to the exterior of the facility and the completion of the interior fit-out. Jersey Oyster is set to open on 21st January 2012.

Speaking about the project’s progress, Jersey Oyster’s spokesman said: ”We’ve been very fortunate that this year has been exceptionally dry, and we’ve only experienced one fifth of the average rainfall in the last few months.”

Construction Magazine