Future Plans
Thank you for taking the time to find out about new plans proposed for the Jersey War Tunnels.
Proposed development at Jersey War Tunnels
Background and strategic context
Visitor numbers to Jersey have shown signs of fragility in the post-pandemic period. According to the Visit Jersey/ Jersey Government tourism dashboard (see Tourism Data Dashboard at Visit Jersey), visitor arrivals remain subject to significant seasonal and infrastructural pressures, and our own experiences echo this observation, especially for visitors attempting journeys by sea.
Within that environment, the Jersey War Tunnels has sought to maintain its role as a premier heritage destination. We currently employ over 30 local staff across the site, and subject to the approval of this planning application, we hope to expand our workforce to 40 employees by the mid 2027 - an important contribution to local employment and skills development.
Investment and community engagement
Over the past 18 months, Jersey War Tunnels (JWT) has substantially invested in preserving the tunnel structure, has worked to improve grounds and landscaping and enhance the local woodland setting, as well as engaging positively with parishes, the education sector, and Central Government. These works have helped to stabilise and improve the visitor environment, improve aesthetics, and strengthen our community ties.
Ongoing visitor decline and external pressures
Visitor numbers have continued to decline following the reopening post-pandemic. The downward trend from the initial recovery, post-Covid, seems to be due to reasons beyond our control, namely, the island’s transport infrastructure, notably by sea, is not supportive of making journeys faster or more frequent for passengers all year round.
We are now within a period of five months during which no fast ferries are offered by DFDS until April 2026. Sea passenger traffic is significantly down, and visitor numbers to the island have fallen by around 93,000 when comparing 2025 to 2024.
Financial impact and forecast outlook
The downward trend in visitor numbers inflicts significant financial pressures: year-to-date visitor figures for JWT are down 13.5%, reflecting broader island tourism trends across the sector.
With visitor numbers to the island having fallen by around 17% in 2025, Visit Jersey are now predicting a 6% increase for 2026. JWT are backing Jersey to recover its visitor appeal and has a five core investment strategy – our new museum is the first on the list and represents a £4m investment in our future. What follows is our justification for this exciting new development.
Improved shelter for visitors
Often during the high season, more than 300 visitors arrive via coach between 10 am and 11 am most days. Currently, the Visitor Centre does not have the capacity to shelter these numbers, leaving many exposed to rain, wind or cold while they wait to enter, which risks undermining good first impressions.
Please note that 80% of visitors arriving by coach are aged 50 or over.
The planned sheltered walkway (or covered arrival sequence) and expanded museum structure will allow us to manage visitor flow in comfort, keeping queueing visitors warm and dry, easing the transition from coach to admissions processing.
Browse the proposed plans »Improved Health & Safety for coach arrivals
At present, passengers disembark from coaches which park at the top of the road nearest the tunnel entrance. This road also allows vehicle access to the car park. There is no pavement for coach passengers to alight onto.
The new layout will significantly improve passenger safety when arriving by coach, as coach drop-off/pick-up zones will be segregated from general vehicle traffic. Safe pedestrian pathways will be created, thereby providing clearer separation of pedestrian and vehicle flows and improving the site circulation for coach traffic.
Explore the proposed plans »Viability, visitor experience & curatorial enhancement
The proposed expansion offers multiple benefits for JWT’s long-term sustainability and financial security into the future:
Preservation and display collections
The current tunnel environment - cool and slightly humid - limits our ability to display sensitive paper, fabric, and archival artefacts. Many items within our collection of WW2 artefacts remain in storage and are not displayed for these reasons.
As you might expect, a small number of our visitors are claustrophobic and small children sometimes do not dwell too long in the tunnels. The proposed new gallery and museum space, with ample natural daylight and climate control, will allow us to showcase a richer and more varied collection while protecting valuable heritage items from deterioration.
Broader interpretative scope
Whilst forever maintaining our core focus on the occupation of Jersey, this extra space will permit JWT to present more comprehensive narratives of WW2, including aspects of the wider conflict, resistance, and liberation. This will strengthen JWT’s appeal to a broader audience and enhance its educational impact.
Increased dwell time, repeat visits and higher spend
A more diverse offer encourages longer visits, higher ancillary spends (e.g., in retail, catering), and the potential for repeat visitation. In a market where visitor volumes are under pressure, we need to create the opportunity to present an improved retail and catering ambience and product range to improve the on-site spend per visitor.
Commercial resilience and pricing flexibility
As stated, visitor numbers are down to 13.5% YTD (to December 2025). JWT has now maintained its ticket prices for the two years ending December 2025 but its ability to continue to absorb cost pressures without raising ticket prices has been stretched.
The enhanced offering gives more justification to raise the headline entry price whilst still maintaining deep discount pricing for specific groups such as Armed Forces Veterans, disabled visitors and their carers, children, teenagers and school visits.
Contribution to the island’s tourism offer
As a marquee heritage attraction, JWT plays an important role in choreographing Jersey’s tourism offerings. Strengthening its offer helps to support the island’s competitiveness and appeal as a destination, which is especially important in an environment where transport connectivity is proving to be a limiting factor.
Design vision for Jersey War Tunnels
Please browse the initial concepts, plans, and architectural sketches that comprise the proposal.
Employment, Local investment & Community value
Job creation and local employment
Expanding to 40 staff, of which thirteen will be full-time, by the end of 2026 supports the local labour market, contributes to skills retention in heritage, tourism and education sectors, and helps to maintain year-round operational capacity.
Over half of our seasonal workers are under the age of 21 and for many, employment at JWT represents their first experience of entering the workplace. Many of these workers return year on year until they find all-year-round employment elsewhere.
Capital reinvestment
Our ongoing investments over the past 18 months in tunnel preservation, site works and woodland restoration demonstrate our commitment to long-term asset stewardship and environmental improvements.
The plan to create this new museum space and acquire or create further exhibits and purchase more artefacts for public display is part of a £4m investment program planned to take place over the next three years.
Community and stakeholder engagement
JWT has actively engaged with parishes, schools and the Government, providing educational programmes, partnership opportunities and local benefits.
The enhancement of public realm and woodland areas benefits both visitors and local residents.
Additional points
Commitment to Jersey’s Strategic Future
This investment represents one of JWT’s long-term strategy pillars aimed at ensuring it remains one of the island’s flagship attractions. By improving infrastructure and broadening interpretation, we align closely with Visit Jersey’s aim to position Jersey as a distinct, world-class destination with a strong cultural identity.
Strengthening the Island’s Visitor Economy
Every visitor to JWT generates additional spend across the economy - on island transport, hospitality, hotels and local businesses. Enhancing JWT therefore strengthens the multiplier effect across Jersey’s wider economy, supporting small businesses, taxi drivers and securing jobs well beyond the Tunnels themselves.
Latest estimates are that each visitor spends an estimated £135 per day, so for every 10,000 new visitors we attract to the island, this equates to a spend of £1.35m per day across the whole economy.
Heritage Leadership
Jersey War Tunnels is a custodian of some of the island’s most significant heritage assets. This development ensures these stories are told in a way that resonates with international visitors, while safeguarding fragile artefacts for future generations.
This supports Jersey’s reputation as a place that values and preserves its cultural assets. As seen in recent news reports, we are continuing to invest in Heritage and continue to procure items of significant historic value.
Environmental & Place-Making Commitment
Investment in tunnel preservation, woodland management and grounds work demonstrates JWT’s active role in enhancing Jersey’s natural environment as well as its cultural one.
One such ongoing project is the unearthing of the hilltop anti-aircraft battery at Les Gellettes. This aligns with broader sustainability and community strategies.
Educational & Social Impact
The development will strengthen JWT’s role in education - providing more physical resources for school visits, more space for interpretation, and more opportunities for intergenerational learning. By engaging with young people, we ensure Jersey’s history remains relevant and understood by future generations.
Political Reputation
Supporting this scheme helps to ensure that JWT continues to rank among the top 10% of visitor attractions worldwide. It signals that the Government of Jersey is committed to supporting world-class cultural experiences, bolstering the island’s international brand reputation.
Our recent success in attracting record numbers during European Heritage Days demonstrates how important this reputation is for the island's growth.
Conclusion & Strategic Imperative
This scheme is a strategic necessity. This current proposal represents a continuation of our long-term strategy to extend the life of the tunnels by significantly improving its appeal and relevance across all age groups.
It addresses visitor health and safety improvements, enhances visitor appeal experiences in a challenging tourism environment, strengthens curatorial capacity, supports the local economy, and helps to secure JWT’s long-term sustainability as a world-class destination and a central part of the choreography of the occupation of Jersey during WW2.