Masterplanning: Jersey Marine Leisure Masterplan, Channel Islands, UK
- Client:
- Jersey Harbours
- Services required:
- Masterplanning,
- Feasibility Studies and Market Research,
- Business Planning,
- Marina Design
Scheme Description:
The island of Jersey is situated approximately 14 miles from the northwest coast of France and 85 miles south of the UK. Its strategic location, along with the financial benefits the Island has to offer, make it a desirable destination to both the UK and French cruising markets. As an island location with a single port, there exists high levels of both commercial and leisure vessel activity.
St Helier Harbour is home to four separate marina operations that all come under the control of Jersey Harbours. The marina berthing connects directly with St Helier, the capital of Jersey, and the client was keen to establish a marine leisure master plan that maximised the potential of the marina and waterfront assets. A key objective of Jersey Harbours is to create segregation of the port operations along with a waterfront development Masterplan to deliver a leisure boat destination for existing and future boating markets.
The master plan study had to take full account of the commercial port operations and the longer term requirement for growth and redevelopment of the cargo and passenger ferry facilities. A further important aspect was the views of existing berth holders and yacht clubs that had traditionally enjoyed low-cost berthing in prime locations.
Role of Marina Projects:
Jersey Harbours embarked on a programme to facilitate the enhancement and optimisation of the Marine Leisure Estate within St Helier Harbour. This was to include the reorganisation and improvement of leisure berthing facilities and the introduction of appropriate waterfront development to enhance the profile and value of the harbour, land assets and marine leisure facilities.
Marina Projects were commissioned by Jersey Harbours to undertake a detailed review of the port of St Helier to ascertain the opportunities to develop the leisure boat market within the existing site constraints. The scope of works, key aims and objectives were agreed with the client team at an early stage and comprised of the following:
- Management of the land assets to include regeneration of key waterfront land parcels creating leisure, trade, retail and marine support hubs along with the links and communications therein.
- Marina and water area management incorporating industry best practices creating a structure to realise the full poential of the water areas creating segregation of operations between commercial and leisure vessel activity.
- To optimise the existing water areas to deliver leisure berthing solutions that diversify the berthing offer within the Harbour to cater fro existing and future leisure boat markets.
A significant part of the master planning review process was establishing the future demand for leisure berthing, including the potential to target the superyacht market due to the tax advantages of the location.
Another key component of the study was to fully understand and establish the baseline trading performance of the marine leisure business over the life span of the investment appraisal; a "Do Nothing" scenario. This would form the benchmark against which the uplift in trading profit could be measured and the investment appraisal could be undertaken. A design solution was required that would be viable, deliverable and sensitive to both the stakeholder views and the heritage of the old harbour structures.
Key tasks undertaken during the study process were:
- Market research in order to confirm future levels of general berthing demand
- Establishment of the advantages as a super yacht home port
- Detailed operational audit and business modeling to establish the baseline trading position
- Establishment of future tariff structures and strategies to maximise the yield from berthing and water area
- Development of marina concept designs and master plan working closely with the wider project team
- Development of a 20-year business plan for the marine leisure business and viability appraisal
- Consideration of the trading impacts of the phased introduction of the master plan
- Extensive consultation with berth holders, commercial users, yacht clubs
- Design of mooring and operational layouts
- Project management
- Procurement advice and guidance
