BUILDING work on the Town Markets has been described as ‘legalised vandalism’ by the Culture and Leisure minister. Deputy Peter Sirett hoped that work would restart soon.

An announcement is expected from developer McAulay today, after the Environment Department revealed that all permissions had now been granted.

But Deputy Sirett feared that the work would not be simple.

‘They should get on with it and get the two ends of the building joined with something that is going to last. What is there at the moment is an absolute disgrace,’ he said.

‘The two ends are fantastic pieces of architecture with a bombsite in between and I cannot believe that what is there is going to be easy to salvage.’

Deputy Sirett, who said he was speaking personally as his new department had not discussed the issue, said he was worried that the building had been exposed to the elements.

‘If plans have now been accepted, let’s see some bricks and mortar go up and let’s see some action,’ he said.

He also expected that the finished scheme would not be as was originally envisaged by the States.

‘There is no way they will ever be identical but I hope what we end up with is a good representation of what we voted for at the time, which seems a lifetime ago,’ he said.

Deputy Sirett criticised the Markets project in the States earlier this month when he stood for the position of Culture and Leisure minister.

‘The Markets are an important part of our culture,’ he said. ‘It’s not just a building, but what takes place inside it. I’ll do everything I can to ensure that the development proceeds to the conclusion we all envisaged, because a thriving, rejuvenated Market is part of our culture.

‘What has happened there so far is legalised vandalism.’

Deputy Dave Jones said he believed that if the work did not start in June, then the whole matter should come back before the States for a full debate.

He wants a firm commitment from the developer to start and feels no more excuses should be accepted.

People are fed up with this once-wonderful building standing in the middle of Town like a monument to the folly of the contractor, he said.

The public has a right to know what will happen to it, he added.

Now all the details are complete, there is no reason why the project should not start next month, said Deputy Jones.

The Environment Department said this week that work could start immediately and that it could see no reason for any further delay.

It was adamant that the Markets redevelopment would be given top priority.

The project’s completion date is the end of June next year but there are doubts that this deadline will be met.