'Fresh ideas' wanted for Alderney Nunnery Roman fort

The site overlooks Longis Bay

Businesses are being urged to come up with ideas for the former Roman fort known as the Nunnery in Alderney.

The Nunnery is thought to be one of the best preserved Roman forts in the UK and until earlier this year was home to the Alderney Bird Observatory.

The States of Alderney, which owns the Nunnery, is looking for ideas about how best to use the heritage site.

The States was "open to fresh ideas", said Ian Carter, deputy chair of the Policy and Finance Committee.

An impression of how the Nunnery could have looked in Roman times

"We are keen to find the right occupant with a vision for what can be achieved in this unique historical site, either singly or in a joint partnership initiative with another organisation," he said.

"We remain open to fresh ideas from both on-island and off-island organisations and will be happy to explore those ideas fully before we reach any decisions for the Nunnery's future."

The site, which overlooks Longis Bay and has a Victorian building inside, was confirmed to be Roman in 2011.

Island tradition had long suggested the site dated back to Roman times but previous excavations had proved inconclusive.

Follow BBC Guernsey on Twitter and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].