Guernsey Airport scaffolding expected to stay for 'a couple more years'

Tuesday, 13 October 2026 11:20

We've been given a closer look at the panelling overhanging the Guernsey Airport terminal, which has been dislodged and rusted by bad weather over 21 years.

The States’ Trading Supervisory Board is seeking States approval for extensive structural repairs to Guernsey Airport.

The roof has been covered in protective scaffolding for more than a year, after high winds dislodged some of the panelling.

Further investigations found faults dating back to the terminal’s construction in 2004.

The repairs are expected to cost taxpayers up to £6.1 million.

Deputies are due to debate the plans in November or December, then, if approved, a contractor will be sought, and the physical work is expected to take at least 18 months.

Guernsey Ports Head of Infrastructure Delivery Jenny Giles describes the problem area:

"It's not the top of the roof, it's actually the soffit, which is the underside. There's a really big overhang around the whole of the roof that I think is designed to look like the wing of an aircraft, so it looks very lovely, but there's a lot of forces on that.

"We have found that there are quite a lot of defects in the construction and the design of it, which has caused the panels to start flying off.

"The roof is a really large area, and the soffit's a really large area, so the work itself will take a considerable amount of time, so we've got a couple more years to go yet.

"We'll be really pleased to see work progressing and the scaffolding coming down at some point."

Jenny also told Island FM the addition of solar panels to the airport roof is being considered, though that will not be part of the repair work.

"Whilst we've got someone looking into the strength of the structure, they will also look into whether that is a possibility, but that'll be something that can happen in the future; it doesn't necessarily need the scaffolding to be there to do that work."