Housing set to reveal exactly which sites it wants for development
Monday 7th January 2013, 5:00PM GMT.
THIS spring Housing is planning to announce its preferred sites that could be used to deal with the island’s growing housing needs.
The department is continuing to look at what areas of land should be used to cover the needs of Guernsey, especially for social and partial ownership housing.
It is focusing on five areas that have been earmarked by the States since the mid-1990s as having potential for development when other opportunities have dried up.
Four of these sites, called Housing Target Areas, are in St Sampson’s – Belgrave Vinery, Pointues Rocques, Saltpans and Franc Fief. Another is in St Peter Port – La Vrangue.
Housing chief officer Stephen Langford, pictured, confirmed the department’s proposals would be drawn up soon for an upcoming States report.
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It`s not housing needs; it`s too many people
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Totally agree,
would help if they even knew how many people they are talking about, not the sixty two thousand from ten years ago they base everything on, that’s why every department is out of control and over budget!
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Funny that all the housing areas mentioned are in parts of the Island that are already overcrowded and have traffic problems.If I lived in St Sampsons I would be feeling pretty upset. The areas of the Island which should be developed are those with the most space and land – i.e. the upper parishes. The burden of new housing should be spread fairly across the Island – the North and Town already has the worst traffic, the highest population density, the lowest demographics, the least desirable catchment areas etc – lets stop cramming more houses there.
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Radical
or you could just improve the facilities and infrastructure to compensate for the urbanisation of the area.
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Have you noticed how the existing roads are falling into disrepair?, full of very deep potholes, we can’t even maintain what we have properly!, another department out of control!
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Spartacus
or you could just improve the facilities and infrastructure in the upper parishes.
There is no reason why St Peters / Torteval / St Saviours should not be developed. Why always choose the North? All it does is escalte the North / South divide on this Island – we all need to integrate with one another. Seems like the Upper Parishes are trying to socially exclude the ‘riff raff’ to me.
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Radical
True but I would still like to see rejuvenation in the North which is more likely to happen if there is building development going on. I don’t want any divisions either.
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Well if they are “riff raff” as you say then we don’t want them spoiling the upper parishes.
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Radical
I guess that you have fittingly called yourself ‘Radical’ because you desire a fundamental change. But as a ”radical’, one ought to have themself personally involved in bringing about an apparently revolutionary change if a society compatible with their worldview is to be the final outcome and they ought to bring about such change within a relatively short period of time. Therefore, if you are a true advocate of radicalism, perhaps you ought to write a letter or have a discussion with your district’s deputy in the not so distant future, the potential hue and cry that may be generated notwithstanding.
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Plenty areas on surrounds of Fort George.The old St Martins football pitch along Fort Road for example can build around 50 affordable homes for locals
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There is a massive amount of land that could be developed in the upper parishes, land that is currently used not for agriculture, but for grazing horses. Hundreds of acres of it, it’s only purpose being the housing of nags that Tabitha and Tarquin use to jump over a few twigs on a Saturday morning.
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Completely agree – what use are the open spaces of St Peters / Torteval to the vast majority of those living in Guernsey?
Create a huge social housing project in St Peters I say. Forcibly buy the land at agricultural prices and then grant planning permission.
This will fulfill the housing demands of the population strategy and spread the burden of over population more fairly across the Island.
@ Ed
?
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What use are the open space of St Peter?… yes couldn’t agree more, shot the cows and horses, get rid of those green fields especially the ones growing local produce , widen those nasty narrow lanes that people like to go for walks along, Dig up those pesky weed like Orchid fields…. No we don’t want open spaces!!! Kids might start playing there and see nature at its best.
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@ Mark B
In an ideal world I agree with you but we have PEOPLE living in poverty in this Island. If better social housing is required for those less fortunate then the answer to your questions would be yes (although I would move the cows to Torteval rather than shoot them). Prioritise the needs of the people over open green spaces.
By the way I have children and I have never had the opportunity to ramble over the green spaces of St Peters because it is private land. People get confused – just because you seen green fields from the road doesn’t mean you can use it. The States as part of the development site in St Peters that I am advocating should create another public park so that the space can be utilised by all – not one or two rich, open market owners.
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Radical
I totally agree that people in poverty need more help.
However social housing is perhaps a quick fix rather than solving the underlying problems of inequality.
Another public park is a great idea. They could instigate compulsory land purchase again like they did with the airport :-)
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Yes Radical ?
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@ Ed
The question mark meant I didn’t understand your original point – something about wanting me to turn into Che Guevara?
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markB
You don’t seriously regard parishes such as St Martin’s as ‘upper’, do you ? They’re far from it. In fact, I think St Martin’s is becoming seedy and sordid in certain areas- just like the main St Peter Port district.
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ED… I never mentioned St Martins
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Hasn’t the term ‘upper’ always related to elevation above sea level rather than class ?
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My theory is that these parishes were labelled with this name because of their elevation with relation to sea level, but the idea that these districts were ‘upper’ was manipulated by uppity bourgeois residents who were fuelled by the irrational belief that their interests were most paramount.
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Ed ….You’re right Upper means Higher ..Nothing to do with class
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markB
you’re not an estate agent clearly :-)
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Obviously.
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ED .. How long have you lived in guernsey?
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Green Acres, St Martins Hotel, Idle Rocques….Sometimes the island needs to prioritise. We have had a decline in tourism for years (or the above names would be thriving). Sign off the ‘change of use’ for the land and build some houses for the islands sake.
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half a cup
Agreed,but it is so difficult to get the little committees in charge of their little domains to see the big picture and give up a little bit of their power .. Horticulture and ugly derelict vineries is a prime example
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Deputy Dave Jones.
Do you remember St Martins fc playing on the football pitch on Fort Road in the mid 50s?
This grass area would be ideal to build affordable houses on.
At the moment this area is mown by states contractors at a poor state of maintenance whereby grass is scattered along the roadside and left.
Taxpayers money or rate payers money could be put to better use by building on it.
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islander
I played a few games on that pitch ( I say ‘played’)
I seem to remember it a bit further away from the road than you describe… where some of the large bungalows decreed as open market mansions are built
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Island Wide Voting
Yes it was further away from the road.The wooden changing rooms were situated about 20 yds east of the pine trees.You could say where the path is now would be the paremeter of the playing pitch. ok some of the pitch as entered Fort and now used as property owned privately.The remainder which is the grass mown area under the control of St Peter Port Constables and maitained by States Works Dept.
I wonder why it was not all sold off as part of Fort George?
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Islander
unfortunately I don’t, I did not come to live in Guernsey until 1970
So that was a bit befor my time.
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Shame they removed the Nissan huts as well as taking down the goalposts.Unfortunately if the site was to revert to football pitches, this would involve erecting a 25ft high wire mesh fence alongside the Fort Road.So,not likely.However, the site would make wonderful building plots, but can,t see ‘Local Market’ houses ever being built on this site.
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sorry, but…isn’t this perceived ‘need’ based at least partially on projections about how the population will increase if it continues as is…
Unless they have a crystal ball, that is.
If finance shrinks and our tax status changes accordingly to top up the States coffers, maybe by taxing rich tax exiles and the remaining businesses that remain at a more realistic rate, then Guernsey will be attracting a lot less wealthy/well paid imports, driving existing ones away, I would say, in some cases.
Thar would mean the States simply won’t have the funds to continually
Build houses, but equally, a lot of local houses/flats will have to be let/sold at a more reasonable price, or risk remaining empty, thus, there will be more available in the private sector at an affordable price.
I appreciate that this is speculation, but perhaps nomoreso than these estimated housing need projections, IMO…!
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Apols, I should have also added that the UK’s continued onslaught of legislation to essentially put the CI’s out of business will also have a similar impact on the general shrinkage of the island’s businesses/imported staff/population …IMO, of course.
Don’t need a crystal ball to see that one.
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Yes build more affordable houses,but we need to stop more outsiders from coming into the island.
The schools are full so when we have a baby boom [and this I am sure will happen as mums will have to return to work once their children reach 7 years old ]the schools in St Peter Port has a huge intake this year. and will for the next few years .
Build new homes, but also build the supporting structures around them to support it .
The other parishes could have new builds on them as well ,but with the unsuitable bus service this will not help .
As those will need to get the children to school or go to work somehow ,
While we are building there should be a park and ride in every parish so that St PP does not get flooded every day with even more cars,
the sooner we have a paid parking the better .
Build on old greenhouses site or bring back the growing industry .
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Kat
yes build more affordable houses for locals who are on the lower end of earning scales.
Keep single parent mothers at home with their parents until they can work or marry.
Every parish should build where possible.
Most retired growers in the upper parishes are living in luxury from the cream of states of guernsey in the 60s so build around them will even things out.This being the reasons for so many derelict vineries.
States of Guernsey have become wise now with grants.
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Belle Greve bay’d be a good spot. Nice water feature gardens and a short bridge walk to Herm. Who’s that shouting and waving a placard on the road back there?!
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A passionate believer in the supreme value of the environment, perhaps ?
What about biodiversity ? For the umpteenth time Belle Greve must remain its it is its current condition due to the rich biodiversity and the importance of this marine reservoir with concern to dynamic equilibria.
The welfare of a marine creature is of tantamount importance to that of a human and these organisms are fundamentally why we are in existence today- both in an evolutionary sense and with concern to our routine existence in the modern age.
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I agree Ed those marine creatures are very important and very tasty just like those ormers i had for dinner :)
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indeed, and what oceanic crusty critters dine on makes them even moreso, bcb……..our poo…!
Feel free to have my portion, I think I’ll pass….;)))
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