Guernsey Press

Demolition of Sydney Vane House under way

WORK to demolish Sydney Vane House at Admiral Park is under way.

Published
Demolition work gets underway at Sydney Vane House, Admiral Park. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 25558420)

It will make way for a new development including a 100-bedroom Premier Inn hotel.

The plans also include 30,000 sq. ft. of office accommodation, a 2,500 sq. ft. restaurant, a 384-space multi-storey car park, landscaping and upgrades to the general infrastructure to Elizabeth Avenue.

The main project will begin in the autumn of this year and is scheduled to be completed by December 2021.

JW Rihoy & Son has been awarded the contract for the complete development.

The development though has continued to generate mixed views.

Local resident Paul Ingrouille was worried that the hotel would be for short-stay business travellers rather than for families.

‘If you are trying to attract people to come here, especially families and normal working people, then we need to follow Weymouth’s example of bedsits and B&Bs. It really is a bit discriminatory to so many people who are just never going to use it, especially in an industrial area like this one.’

Mr Ingrouille was also concerned that a popular short cut to the Admiral Park Waitrose store via First Tower Lane could also be lost.

Locally-born Muriel Lowe said: ‘We’ve got enough hotels don’t we? Enough offices and retail space I would say. I think they could have done better really – we need more spaces for children and teenagers to be able to do activities.

‘So, really, I think that is what they should have thought about when deciding what to build. We just don’t need this.’

But another resident said: ‘I am happy that it is all under way now and the ball is rolling. At least it won’t be wasteland anymore and us residents won’t have to worry about the return of the rat problem.’