Work on Clarence Battery steps is due to begin this month

The work will involve the stabilisation of the area

Work to rebuild the steps leading to the Clarence Battery is due to begin this month, the States of Guernsey has said.

Access to the popular walking route has been closed since March 2020 when heavy rain caused a landslide.

Extensive works to stabilise the rock faces should be completed by the end of the summer.

States infrastructure officer Marco Tersigni said "there will be some disruption" while the work takes place.

The States of Guernsey said the work would involve a phased approach of securing the rock faces, the lower parts of the slopes and installing a new set of steps.

Part of the area including the turning circle will be closed while the work takes place and most of the diagonal parking spaces will be suspended.

Limit disruption

To accommodate the loss of these spaces, further 10-hour spaces between Ladies' Pool and towards the Horseshoe swimming area will be changed to two-hour spaces.

Mr Tersigni said the States had engaged with groups who use the area to limit disruption but he would have liked to do the work "during the winter".

"We have been advised that, for health and safety reasons, the work should be undertaken in the drier months.

"We'd like to thank everyone in advance for their patience while these improvements are carried out," he said.

David Warr, chair of the Bathing Pools charity Vive La Vallette LBG, said his members were "delighted" the restoration project is taking place.

He added: "We are grateful to the States of Guernsey for their commitment to this project."

Mr Warr said the long-term benefit would be to once again "provide access to the Clarence Battery and an important gateway to Fermain Bay and beyond, to the south coast cliffs".