Seven sites proposed for affordable housing in Island Development Plan review
- Development & Planning Authority publishes preliminary list of seven sites proposed for affordable housing allocation
- Sites include Selbourne Vinery, Regency Vinery, School Lane Vinery, Whispers, Les Caches Farm, Two Acres and Route Carre
- Announcement follows yet to be published independent planning inspector's report after public hearing earlier this year
- DPA writing to site owners for development plans before final decision and States debate
- States will debate proposed Island Development Plan changes in autumn and make final decision
The Development & Planning Authority has published a preliminary list of seven sites proposed for affordable housing allocation as part of the focused review of the Island Development Plan.
The announcement follows receipt of an independent planning inspector's report covering which sites should be designated for affordable housing development. The inspector's report, which followed a public hearing at the start of this year, is currently being considered by the DPA and will be published in due course.
The seven sites proposed for affordable housing allocation are Selbourne Vinery and Regency Vinery, both proposed to be included in the amended St Peter Port Main Centre Outer Area. School Lane Vinery is proposed for the amended St Martin Local Centre, whilst Whispers would be included in the new Vazon Local Centre.
Les Caches Farm is proposed for the amended St Peter's Local Centre, Two Acres for the amended Forest West Local Centre, and Route Carre for the amended L'Islet Local Centre.
The Authority is writing to site owners requesting an indication of their development plans for the sites. The preliminary announcement is intended to give site owners and their agents additional time to develop their proposals before the DPA's final decision and subsequent States debate.
Deputy Neil Inder, President of the DPA, said: "We could've just waited until we publish the policy letter later this year to show our thinking around sites for Affordable Housing, but we want to engage early with landowners to understand how quickly their sites can be developed. There's no point in allocating a site for Affordable Housing and then nothing happening. We need to make sure that these sites can deliver homes as soon as possible. And a preliminary indication to the public and site owners was a pragmatic action on our part."
The DPA will submit a policy letter to the States for an autumn debate outlining the proposed changes to the Island Development Plan. The States will make the final decision on any changes. Should the States agree to the propositions in the policy letter, the Island Development Plan will be changed with immediate effect.
Other matters forming part of the focused review of the Island Development Plan are being considered by the DPA in response to the inspector's report. Proposals on these other matters will be published in the policy letter.
Q&A
Q: How many sites have been proposed for affordable housing?
A: Seven sites have been proposed: Selbourne Vinery, Regency Vinery, School Lane Vinery, Whispers, Les Caches Farm, Two Acres and Route Carre.
Q: When will the States debate the proposed changes?
A: The DPA will submit a policy letter to the States for an autumn debate. The States will make the final decision on any changes to the Island Development Plan.
Q: Why has the DPA made this preliminary announcement?
A: The DPA wants to engage early with landowners to understand how quickly sites can be developed, rather than waiting until the policy letter is published later this year. This gives site owners and their agents more time to develop their plans.
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