THE number of people on the waiting list for housing is at its lowest for seven years. Applications made for joint Housing Department and

Guernsey Housing Association accommodation fell from 148 in 2004 to 119 the following year, according to the Sustainable Guernsey report.

A Housing spokesman said the department was encouraged that the number had continued to fall.

‘This is a direct result of

the new Guernsey Housing Association developments that have been completed

this year, with the assistance of grant funding from the States,’ the spokesman said.

‘It evidences the fact that by using a combination of public funds and private borrowing, significantly more new social housing units can be produced to meet the needs of those unable to access private-sector housing.

‘This, together with the stabilisation of the affordability of the local housing market, is confirmation that the Corporate Housing Programme initiatives are starting to work and that the department is making positive inroads into balancing the housing market in Guernsey and providing affordable housing options to local people.’

In the last two years, 162 units have been built, providing homes for almost 500 people.

The first of them – at Delancey Court, St Sampson’s – were completed in July

2004.

Maureen, 64, and Carlo, 67, Castagnotti live in one of the 34 apartments there.

‘Lots of people didn’t want to come here because they considered it to be a rabbit warren, but we really enjoy living here,’ said Mrs Castagnotti, who works for Health and Social Services as a carer.

‘This particular development is absolutely superb. It’s well built and fairly well thought out.

‘It’s quiet and there’s no trouble and most of the residents near us are more or less the same age.’

Mrs Castagnotti lived in Town with her husband, a part-time shop assistant, for 25 years before moving to Delancey Court.

She said that the only drawbacks to their one-bedroom flat were the limited storage space and the lack of a garden.