Sensitive demolition at Guernsey's largest building site to begin soon

Tuesday, 14 July 2026 06:15

By Euan Mahy

The remaining buildings at Leale's Yard off the Bridge will be demolished carefully over the coming winter.

Taking down buildings is generally noisy, dusty and potentially traumatic to wildlife, but levelling Leale's Yard promises to be different.

Contractor Rok will work sensitively to ensure that dust and noise disturbance for Bridge goers are kept to a minimum.

This will involve removing as much of the structures as possible by hand, or with light equipment, before heavier plant is used to take what is left of the buildings down.

This will be from roof level and will be done slowly, as it is known that the vast site is home to birds and bats.

Ecologists will work with the contractor to ensure they are not harmed as they leave to find new nesting sites.

Deputy Yvonne Burford, from majority landowners Policy and Resources, says work to prepare Leale's Yard gets underway this month, and demolition begins in September, over six or seven months:

“We are ensuring that the demolition process is done in such a way that it minimises noise, dust and general disturbance to residents and businesses in the area, and that it is sympathetic to wildlife.

"Additionally, there will be a focus on management of materials, such as stockpiling good quality granite stone, quoins and lintels and crushing other stone and inert material for future reuse."

Over the coming months, investigations below ground will build up a picture of what is there and shape the way the building slabs and foundations are removed.

Masterplanners will be appointed soon to work out how Leale's Yard can be progressed alongside other nearby affordable housing developments run by the Guernsey Housng Association.