22nd May 2015

The Queen gives Jersey ownership of its beaches

Alderney has owned its beaches and three miles of the seabed in all directions since 1950, but it took until 2015 for Queen Elizabeth II to hand over Jersey’s beaches and the 12 miles of seabed stretching away from them. The States of Jersey immediately started to consider how it could monetise them, with leasing the submerged land to tidal energy generators high on the list.

The queen kept hold of Ecréhous and the Minquiers and, at the time, also hung on to Guernsey’s beaches, although the States of Guernsey was in discussions over whether it should follow Jersey’s lead. At the time, Guernsey’s territorial waters extended only three miles, not the 12 that Jersey enjoyed, although it had been in discussion with France and the mainland overextending them.