‘Appalling estate’ is no more

Thursday 11th August 2011, 11:30AM BST.

The final house comes down with Housing minister Deputy Dave Jones at the controls of the digger. (1169851)
The final house comes down with Housing minister Deputy Dave Jones at the controls of the digger. (1169851)


Matt Nichols’ video shows Deputy Dave Jones starting the demolition work

The final house comes down with Housing minister Deputy Dave Jones at the controls of the digger. (1169851)

The final house comes down with Housing minister Deputy Dave Jones at the controls of the digger. (1169851)

HOUSING minister Dave Jones felt emotional signalling ‘the end of an era’ after getting behind the controls of a digger to demolish the last house on the Bouet estate.

Following a delay when a family of swifts was discovered nesting in the house, the estate has been flattened to make way for new housing in partnership with the Guernsey Housing Association.

Deputy Jones said it was satisfying to make the first dent in knocking the final house down.

‘I demolished the first and the last house,’ he said. ‘It’s an emotional time for me because I’ve dedicated my political life to improving social housing for the people of Guernsey.’

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  1. 1
    kat

    It is not the building that were bad that made it like it was, it was SOME of the tenants ..just look how other estates haw become !
    People need to take pride in there surroundings .and not expect the states to do everything for them!
    I hope when the new ones are build those who will live in them will keep them in good condition and make the best of the beautiful surroundings they have down there .

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  2. 2
    Phil

    Did Cougar have anything to do with this demolition Dave?

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  3. 3
    Bill

    i hope dave is ticketed to drive that machine

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  4. 4
    Dave Jones

    Phil

    The demolition was awarded to the present contractor by the GHA on a tender basis, the company I am a director of has NEVER done any work,nor has it tendered for any contract to do with the GHA or The Housing department or the States of Guernsey, at any time in its history.

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  5. 5
    Dave Jones

    Bill

    I have what are known as grandfather rights and nearly 37 year experience.

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  6. 6
    kat

    Having looked at the plans again.I can not find the stream that was going to be a feature in it ?
    Is this still going to be there as it is a super ?as the old La Vrangue runs along there down to the Red lion outfall .
    But it is a super development and the sooner it is built the better.
    Such a shame the little shop is no longer there .!

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  7. 7
    James

    Kat – In agreement. It was NOT the houses, but SOME of the tenants (by no means not all). Many of these residents bracketed under “some” are now causing mayhem elsewhere. The 3 story houses were dangerous, admittedly, and deserved to come down. The rest were not a problem, and could have been refurbished. The estate layout too was not a problem.

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  8. 8
    mark

    Hi James

    What do you mean by saying “the Three Story hosues were dangerous”.. In what respect?

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  9. 9
    Jay C. Bee

    Dave admits it! 37 years of destruction.

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  10. 10
    Not a Chav

    I don’t know why we don’t do what they’ve done in the UK, re-distribute tenants so that older people can live together, working people can live together, families can live together, and all the low lifes can all live in squalor together. At least that way there would only be one sink estate and the rest of the States house tenants could live in peace.

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  11. 11
    JCB

    Have you really driven JCBs for 37 years Dave, on a full time basis or just every now and again?

    My dear old Gran obtained her driving licence in a similar way to how you obtained your JCB one, she was the worst driver I have ever encountered, the perfect example that experience and competence are most definitely not bedfellows.

    Let’s face it, using that skewed logic would mean that a politician is competent simply through being in the job for x number of years, and we all know how laughable that particular claim would be!!!

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  12. 12
    Dave Jones

    Yes JCB I have

    I started driving wheeled excavators in 1969 I am also qualified to drive 80ton track cranes (North Beach) mechanical shovels, 360 tracked excavators and Dozers and hardest of all to master, Catapillar Graders.

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  13. 13
    pbfalla

    Dave Jones

    But can you ride a pushbike?

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  14. 14
    Mr G

    I don’t understand why we’re building new homes for these people that can’t be bothered to get a job, they should be given the worst buildings and we shouldn’t spend a penny on them.

    Unless they’re old or disabled, there’s no reason why I should be funding some lazy people’s way of life.

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  15. 15
    James Baptiste

    “the company I am a director of has NEVER done any work”

    Now that line is classic Dave!

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  16. 16
    Paul

    James
    Are you suggesting that Deputy Jones has lied or have I missed something?

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  17. 17
    Ray

    Paul
    I think you may have missed the intended joke

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  18. 18
    Dave Jones

    pbfalla

    Not very well.

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  19. 19
    James

    Mark, As far as I am led to believe the three story houses were fire hazards, and were unsuitable in the modern world. I do believe the other houses could have been refurbished. Maybe not pretty, but they were practicle. Paul I’m not sure if you meant me, but I wasn’t suggesting Dave Jones had lied.

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  20. 20
    Michael R

    To those of you slagging off Deputy Jones:- cut it out, unless you really do have something of substance to add.

    I don’t know the guy and I certainly don’t agree with all his stances but I do believe that he is an honest, hard-working deputy who has a track record of asking searching questions when necessary.

    He has also performed wonders having been handed the poisoned chalice of looking after Housing when several of his predecessors only paid lip service to the task and did next-to-nothing.

    If only the States of Deliberation had more members like him.

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  21. 21
    blah

    kat, james, not a chav, mr g – you knee jerk bullies are like gulls on a casually abandoned chip bag, grabbing what should be a moment of social progress, and with the typical lazy and profoundly ignorant analysis that is increasing from all quarters on a daily basis, assume that people who fit your personal and deeply flawed definition of the undeserving poor should not be allowed social housing. yet again, yawn … yawn, i have to state that the least financially (and therefore least powerful) part of our island community is being scapegoated by both you and, if we are not careful, a larger mob majority. you are inivited to read owen jones’ chavs: the demonisation of the working class. (i also have to add that dave jones’ silence in the face of these attacks on his social tenants speaks volumes about tacit support for these deeply flawed theories on the deserving and undeserving poor?)

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  22. 22
    D_T

    In removing these housing estates, over 400 public on street parking spaces have been taken away. These spaces were there for ANYONE on the island to use, you, me, my neighbours old aunt who came to visit at Christmas… The GHA are now only allowing parking for the exclusive use of the states house tenants. Those Bouet residents who live in private housing and have had to put up with all of Guernsey’s ‘worst’ tenants being housed in thier street for years and years and years have now lost their right to park anywhere in the vicinity. WHY do states tenants get such fabulous treatment when taxpayers are left without? Surely if they are such low income families then running a car would be considered a luxury? Why encourage them, better to have them using the buses or at least let them use on street parking like the rest of us?

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  23. 23
    Phil

    Blah

    I don’t think most people have any problems with the state helping those in genuine need, it’s the ones that can’t be bothered to work, churn out kid after kid etc that get up people’s noses. There is absolutely no reason for any able bodied person to be unemployed in Guernsey, and that’s a fact.

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  24. 24
    Toby

    So, we’ve knocked down an entire estate , and most people are rejoicing.

    If someone propsed knocking down just a few of the houses in a Victorian terrace there would be an uproar…….

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  25. 25
    Dave Jones

    D-T

    Fist of all you are assuming that you always had a right to park on States Housing Authority estates, the truth is you did not. In fact the Housing department could have stopped all on street parking at any time, the fact that they chose not to do so was always at the department’s discretion. When you bought your property you would have been aware that you had no dedicated parking and the property would have been priced to reflect that fact, I did the same and I park in the road wherever I can, just like everyone else in my area. As I understand it, the GHA have not ruled out completely any public parking but they are not committing themselves to allocating any until the new housing project is complete and they can see what additional space might be available. I also have to take issue with your comments about previous residents of the estate. The majority of those who lived in the area were decent hardworking people, who worked in jobs that didn’t pay exceptionally well and not everybody resident on that estate was living on benefits. We also know that many of the social problems over the years were caused by people who did not even live on the Bouet estate. I would also take issue with your comment that the ‘worst’ tenants being housed in their street for years and years and years? I was unaware that the private residents in the area owned the street that runs through the Bouet.
    Your last paragraph is not even worthy of an answer and it is typical of the sort of stereotyping people like you attach to anyone who lives in social housing, that they are second class islanders and should be treated as such.

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  26. 26
    Andy

    oh dear Deputy Jones! “grandfather rights” went out with the dinosaurs. Tickets or bust now- im sure the health and safety brigade would be happy to confirm!

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  27. 27
    D_T

    @ D Jones

    Thank you for your response. I am not assuming that ‘I always had a right to park on States Housing Authority Estates’ I am pointing out that as they were public disc parking zones that they were available for EVERYBODY, indiscriminately from states house tenants right up to the Govenor and yes you are quite correct in saying that at any time the states can remove public parking zones, and indeed they have been doing so quite a lot recently (but that is a story for another page!) My comment was simply that removing parking zones that were available to ALL and re-allocating them for the exclusive rights of states house tenants seems unfair and I stand by that. I never suggested that as a resident of the Bouet that I expect to have the right to park on the street, not at all in fact as a low income family with the petrol and insurance rates so high at the moment we cannot actually afford to run a vehicle. With regard to your ‘decent hardworking’ comment, I am a bit tired of hearing this quite frankly. As I have spent my entire life living in this road I know the residents well as they are my neighbours (states house and private) so of course I am well aware of hard working and non hard working families, I struggle to see why you have raised this in response to my comment? You certainly cannot deny that since the residents of the estate were moved out that crime and vandilism have near ceased. I no longer have to spend half an hour a day picking up litter from the front of my house, there are no broken windows and I can safely have a pot plant outside without fear of it being stolen. This isn’t heresay, it is a fact. I don’t have to lay in my bed at night listening to obscenities being shouted down the street on a near nightly basis and I can put my bin sack out on a friday eveing and not worry about it being kicked into the middle of the road by a buncvh of drunken louts. I am certainly not stereotyping (and I strongly resent your implication) but you must agree that the more you give to states house tenants that non-tenants struggle to have themselves that you are widening any perceived gap? The undeniable fact is that you have taken from EVERYONE to give to the few. (hardworking or not)

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  28. 28
    PCM

    Hear hear D_T.

    It is outrageous if the States are planning to re-designate the on-street parking as solely being for the benefit of those in States’ housing!

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  29. 29
    kat

    i do feel for all those who cannot park a car outside their home
    but what you forget is the parking on these estates is not free for some tenants they have to pay a parking fee each week on top of their rents
    so this does bring in an income.
    There is a huge multi car park with in this area .
    perhaps the ones who cannot park ask if they might rent a space their .
    Parking in St Peter Port is always a problem and will continue .at least this new development will have parking for all those who live their so they wont be amongst those fighting to find a parking space.
    Also many of states tenants work and pay their taxes like anyone else .
    they also pay parish rates this is all taken with their rents .

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  30. 30
    Tay

    So let me get this right, not only are my tax payments going towards new states houses but they also getting their own parking space!

    Makes me want to pop out a couple of sprogs, give up work and apply!

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  31. 31
    Toto

    D_T, you stated: “You certainly cannot deny that since the residents of the estate were moved out that crime and vandilism have near ceased”

    How do you correlate the residents to the perpetrators with such certainty? And as Mr. Jones stated, the facts regarding the crimes committed and those committing them to the residents of the estate are proven not to be parallel to one another. This is just silly banter now.

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  32. 32
    kat

    Not AlL have their own parking spaces .And as for giving up your job that is an insult to the many states tenants who work many hours to bring in a decent wage
    some of us has to do a low paid work.
    we are no high earners .as for kicking out more
    “sprogs” what good would that do?
    perhaps there might be a few who do this but many are hard working people who are on a low wage.
    Many are very proud who look after their home like it is their own.
    yes there are a few who treat the house terrible ,but i hope the housing will go and make sure they tidy them up and treat them with respect .
    it is always the minority that give the majority a bad name
    I have lived in a states house all my life
    I am very proud of my home and of my surrounding and look after it as much as I can.
    We do have a few tenants who treat the place like a recycle yard .but housing will catch up with them one day.
    And my husband works hard even though he has a disability .
    And we pay taxes .
    Perhaps it we looked at how much money we have paid in rent over the many years the house would have been paid many times .
    We appreciated that we live in a states house and are very thankful to the states for the home we have.
    not all tenants are scroungers .

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  33. 33
    Tay

    Yes Kat, some of us do have to do low paid work – personally I work in a bar for 60 hours a week on pretty much minimum wage but I still rent a private flat. I am glad that you have looked after your states house all your life and so you should. But what I also think that a lot of states tennants forget is that it is NOT your house and it is NOT your right (I am not referring to you here as I am sure that you realise this).

    Popping out the sprogs comment was referring to the only way that as a single person I would ever be able to move into a states house.

    And yes I know that many people do look after their homes however as you have mentioned many don’t so to me they don’t deserve to have one and hopefully housing will catch up with them “one day”.

    But I still don’t understand why the states are providing private parking for the new houses on public land (correct me if I’m wrong) and then restricting who can park there, surely it’s any tax payers right?

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  34. 34
    kat

    The land itself is being handed over to the Guernsey housing association ,this will make is a private road .this means the tax payer will not pick up the tab to maintain it as well,this will all come from revenue from the rents of the parking spaces .
    Anyone who wants to object can go to a meeting that was in the press at the 2nd of next month.
    The road will then be closed officially,

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  35. 35
    D_T

    @toto,

    it is not silly banter, of course you and D Jones could be correct, there could have been a couple of families living in private accomodation who lived in this area and moved out at the same time as the states house tenants and it is all a complete coincidence that they all moved away at the same time, I am just saying that when the housing estate was emptied the crime stopped, draw your own conclusions (oh and it seems as though at the same time crime in other housing estates has increased, but again probably a complete coincidence)

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  36. 36
    D_T

    @ kat

    I am not saying that states house tenants do not work hard, I am just asking why states house tenants should have more right to park on street than private residents? surely everybody should have the right to park there? why do the states house tenants (hard working or not) have MORE rights?

    and please also remember that not all private residents are high earners, some are also struggling on a very low income and do not have the luxury of being able to lower their mortgage payments when times are hard.

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