What to do with the unused and undermaintained bathing pool at West Park has been a question facing the Government for years.

Once Britain’s largest marine lake, the pool – which is owned by the Government and managed by the parish of St Helier – has been left to decay.

Amid calls to restore it to its former glory, Jersey Heritage is now recommending that the Victoria Marine Lake be awarded Grade 4 listed status.

But the question remains about whether the island can justify the expensive repairs and whether those repairs would create worthwhile usage.

Those in favour of restoring the pool hope that granting it listed status would force the government’s hand to invest in it and ensure it it maintained moving forward.

In a 30-page Historic Environment Asset Report sent to state-run Jersey Property Holdings, Jersey Heritage has made the recommendation in order to protect the site’s “historic and cultural significance”.

The report highlighted that listing it would recognise the sea pool’s “role in Victorian seaside leisure”, “its engineering achievement for the time” and “its contribution to St Helier’s identity and community memory”.

A final decision on whether the pool is officially granted listed status is expected in early-October.

What makes the development a big deal?

The development is likely to come as welcome news for a 360-strong campaign group rallying to see the attraction restored.

Although technically awarding any listed status does not require any mandatory repairs or maintenance, if Jersey Heritage’s recommendation is approved it would solidify the cultural significance of the pool.

Those landmarks awarded Grade 4 status are defined in Jersey as “buildings and places of special public and heritage interest to [the island]”.

The government website adds that they will also be a “good example of a particular historical period, architectural style or building type, but defined particularly for the exterior characteristics and contribution to townscape, landscape or group value”.

Jersey Heritage’s report highlights similar Victorian or Edwardian structures in the UK and Jersey which have already been granted listed status, including the Lido at Havre de Pas- which was built two years earlier and is Grade 2 listed.

What is the history of the Victoria Marine Lake?

The VML was built in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee. It was once the largest sea pool in the British Isles.

The pool is also one of the few remaining Victorian tidal pools in the world and one of only two left in Jersey.

The site has seen public investment – £315,000 between 2012 and 2014 – but was later damaged during storms and has once again fallen into disrepair.

Owing to further storm and tidal damage, the sluice gates of the pool have not been closed since 2023, meaning the pool cannot be used at low tide in its current state.

Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan has previously raised concerns about whether any more work on the site would represent “value for the taxpayer”, and pointed to major plans to regenerate the Waterfront instead.

What does Jersey Heritage think?

“This pool was also of technological innovation and great engineering for its time.

jersey heritage

Despite questionable hopes of taxpayer-funded repair, the cultural organisation have argued that: “In line with the Government of Jersey’s 2011 ‘Criteria for the listing and grading of heritage assets’, the Victoria Marine Lake is of historic interest.”

In its concluding remarks, the report outlines that the bathing pool – which remains in its original setting and form – “illustrates significant aspects of Jersey’s social and cultural history in its connection to the popularity of Island sea bathing in the 19th and early 20th century.”

Arguing for listed status, it adds that the pool’s connection to the expansion of West Park and the Esplanade for recreation and tourism as well as its commemoration of Queen Victoria’s jubilee, “further makes this site of interest”.

“While there has been significant damage to the walls of the Victoria Marine Lake in the last few years, the feature does retain its original form, scale and areas of original walling,” the report reads.

“This pool was also of technological innovation and great engineering for its time. The architectural significance of the bathing pool has been weakened by the damage, however it is important to note that condition is not a factor of consideration when Listing.”

GET INVOLVED...

A public meeting is being held on Thursday 4 September with the Infrastructure Minister to discuss the future of the marine lake.

It is being held at the Old Magistrate’s Court in the Town Hall from 17:00.