Guernsey National Trust Plan to restore Ozanne Tower

After sitting derelict for years, an old folly in Guernsey will soon be given a new lease of life as a self-catering holiday home.

Plans to restore and make use of Ozanne Tower have been approved by the Environment Department.

It will be the first time the National Trust of Guernsey has renovated a property to rent out as visitor accommodation.

President Martin Ozanne said he was delighted to get approval for the work.

The square granite structure was built in the 19th Century as a folly - a building built for pleasure - and the Ozanne family coat-of-arms is still visible above the entrance.

Mr Ozanne, a distant relative of the family who built the tower, said it was the only one of its kind in the island and the changes would be "very much in-keeping with the original tower".

The structure, which needs a lot of repair work, was purchased by the trust in 2002.

Work on the one-bedroom accommodation is due to start in the spring and is expected to take a year.

Mr Ozanne said: "It's important we carry out the work before it gets more dilapidated."

The tower has previously housed a museum and been used as a military outpost.