Any work to redevelop Alderney’s airport and runway will have to be within the original estimate of £24million if it is to go ahead.
Guernsey’s Policy and Resources Committee has confirmed that is the total amount it will authorise to be spent on the smaller island’s airport as it sets out its plan for capital spending on essential infrastructure across the two islands.
A Green Paper published yesterday outlines P&R’s plans for the portfolio of essential infrastructure projects that have already been agreed by this States.
Alderney’s airport and runway was already on that list, but some Ridunians had feared it would be removed after the P&R President had previously warned that some approved projects were at risk after the States rejected their proposed income tax increase during the 2025 Budget debate in December.
Now the capital projects list has been reviewed, P&R has agreed they are all essential – none can be considered “nice to haves” – and all of the agreed work must go ahead, albeit with some longer timeframes to spread out the cost.
The States of Guernsey – which has responsibility for Alderney’s air links through the 1948 Agreement – had previously agreed to fund the work to the tune of £24.1m, with Alderney contributing £3.5m too.
Since that approval was given in December 2022, work progressed with planning permission being granted.
However, when the project – which includes work to the runway, airport terminal building, and airport fire station – went to tender, all of the costs came back above the maximum budget.
Last summer it was confirmed that “the best and final offer received for the project as currently scoped (known as Option C+)… is £37m”.
After that, P&R said more affordable options had to be looked at.
Now there is at least the guarantee that the work will go ahead but a contractor still needs to be found who can deliver the necessary work for £24.1m or less.
This may mean the preferred ‘Option C+’ is replaced with alternative plans which are more affordable.
The States of Guernsey had voted in favour of Option C+ in 2022 but the States will now look at all of the options again.
The Green Paper said this will happen “in the coming months”.
“The Committee considers that, to ensure affordability, any solution agreed by the States must be contained within the original estimate of £24m,” said P&R. “Doing so would reduce the overall portfolio cost to £405m and the funding shortfall to £48m.”
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