Permission sought to sell rectory building

Ratepayers in Guernsey are being asked for permission to sell a rectory that is currently "not fit to house" tenants.

St Martins Constables want to sell St Martins Rectory, which they said needed "substantial investment" of about £150,000 to improve and maintain.

A requirement for ratepayers on the island to pay for rectories was scrapped in April 2025, but that change is not due to come into force until January 2030.

The constables said, if successful and sale was achieved, they planned to invest in a new property to house a new rector, as required by the law.

Parish leaders said they hoped to rent the property and return the funds to the ratepayers, while also owning a property that would require little maintenance.

They warned that, if approval was not granted to sell the rectory, then rates would be increased to make it safe and inhabitable, something "we are not comfortable with".

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