New ports will have to weather several storms

Work to date by the States’ Trading Supervisory Board in identifying 15 options for future development and working those into seven realistic possibilities is impressive.

Its favoured choice – a new northern port for some freight and fuel – also seems a pragmatic approach given the complexities and demands of modernising Victorian ports now conflicted with competing commercial, leisure and passenger needs.

Ideally, the proposals would include moving ferries there too but the likelihood of tidal currents interrupting Condor schedules is too big a risk. That, plus the huge benefits of freeing up the whole of St Sampson’s harbour and its surrounds for leisure use make Option 5 the obvious choice.

The £361m. price tag, however, is less clear-cut. Not because it is excessive – it will doubtless change as elements of the project go out to tender – but because there is no clarity on how it is to be funded.

STSB was clear when asked – its task was to assess future harbour requirements and make recommendations on that. Money is down to Policy & Resources.

In reality, the picture is more involved, with a mix of public and private investment plus user involvement possible.

Ultimately, however, until there is clarity about what the areas of land to be released can be used for, no one can put a value on that or assess whether it is government or business that should redevelop them, or a partnership.

In turn, that shows the importance of the island’s planning authority in facilitating – or not – a mission-critical infrastructure project that will take 10 years to complete and be in place in 50 or 100 years’ time.

Identifying the best way forward is likely to prove the easy bit. Pulling the various strands of Guernsey’s governmental system together to make it happen will be far more difficult.