Peter and Amy Stenner bought the property in 2023 and in early 2024 work started to renovate the buildings near Port Grat, which had stood unoccupied for some 40 years.
It has not all been plain sailing, however, particularly with one or two planning permission issues, but Mr Stenner has resolved those that relate to the main property and he is hoping that by Christmas he will be able to move in.
The site includes seven-and-a-half acres of land, running from Route de Port Grat to Route de Vaugrat, and backing onto Les Vardes Quarry.
The main Georgian building dates from 1792, although a stone over the door of one section marks that part’s construction in 1890. That section, and the one next to it, will have an additional three bedrooms each, once completed.
When it was a hotel that main building featured 11 bedrooms, but in the new build it will have nine.
‘Hotels didn’t have so many bathrooms back in the day,’ said Mr Stenner.
Many of the new rooms will have en-suite facilities.
Initial difficulties obtaining permission included the opposition of conservationists who feared changing the character of the old buildings.
‘They have to realise that people can’t live in a museum,’ said Mr Stenner.
‘This site was only two years away from the bulldozers. It had been empty since 1986.’
The only part of the original buildings that could be saved was the walls, and even the tops of these had to be replaced. However, Mr Stenner said that at least no damp was found, and he was pleased with that one piece of good news when the buildings were thoroughly inspected.
Every building on the site needed a new roof and most of these have already been installed, making them the most obvious new feature to anyone driving past the property, along with the pristine granite finish on many of the buildings and nearby walls.
Mr Stenner had asked to have slate tiles on all of the buildings, which would be the common practice in the UK, but he was told that only terracotta tiles would be acceptable, which bemused him.
‘The advice from the planning experts what that Guernsey likes to see a break, so the back of the building is subservient to the main building,’ he said.
A major issue that has plagued developers of listed buildings over the years has been the demand to replace windows like-for-like, including keeping them single glazed.
This requirement has now been relaxed by planners, and the buildings at Les Vardes will have wooden double glazing which, from the outside, looks indistinguishable from the original design.
Mr Stenner praised Neil Inder, who became president of the Development & Planning Authority 12 months ago.
He said Deputy Inder’s election was a turning point in how the authority treats projects of this type.
‘He understands the enormity of a project like this,’ said Mr Stenner. 'He understands the economics. There’s a lot of money to spend here and it’s a lot of fresh money and he knows that. He’s been a great help.’
The renovation work is being carried out by PRP Construction. Mr Stenner said the firm had done a great job so far.
‘The quality of work in the island is really good. We have had jobs going on at our home in Devon which were good, but here these guys don’t cut any corners.’
Despite the initial hurdles which had to be overcome, Mr Stenner said that the project was on schedule.
‘When we first took it on, I said it would take three to five years, and we’ve just reached three years.
‘I’m hoping we can have Christmas here. We won’t be finished but we’ll have enough to make it comfortable. We usually have about 12 of us, including in-laws.’