We're tracking Guernsey house building - the data shows there are no quick fixes in the pipeline
Explore Guernsey's house building data
- States housing data visualised by The Quarry in new housing tracker
- Just 208 units currently under construction across 21 monitored sites, far short of development needs
- No new affordable housing units were completed last year, with only 14 currently under construction
- Pipeline includes 1,741 potential units but permissions aren't converting to actual builds fast enough
- At least 502 units in the pipeline still lack planning permission, including 253 units at Franc Fief
For the first time the States has consolidated data that is allowing us to track progress on all the main housing development sites.
In stark terms, it confirms that there is not enough development under way to get close to its target of approximately 300 new homes a year.
Housing released its first Housing Site Availability Framework at the end of March, which has allowed The Quarry to build this map which visualises what is happening with all the major housing sites.
It shows that the potential pipeline - which includes the sites with permissions in place - is, in isolation, enough at 1,741 units.
However, those permissions are not turning into houses being built at a fast enough rate.
Nick Mann
The States Strategic Housing Indicator 2023 to 2027 was set at 1,565 new units of accommodation in that period, an average of 313 a year.
That was further split down to 844 units of private accommodation and 721 affordable.
Last year, no new affordable units were built and there were only 62 net houses constructed.
Currently, there are only 208 units under construction across 21 sites being monitored, although the number will be slightly higher because of individual conversions.
That in itself is not a complete picture, because some of those, like L’Eree Hotel, have only been cleared, and so are a long way from providing accommodation.
Of the units classed as in the pipeline, at least 502 have not even got planning permission in place. 253 units are expected to be built at Franc Fief in St Sampsons alone.
The data is also a way of following lapsed permissions - like at the former English & Guernsey Arms site on the Bridge where 19 units were given the go ahead more than three years ago.
The affordable housing sector (residential property reserved for households unable to rent or buy on the private market, often provided via the Guernsey Housing Association or the States) is shown to be well behind targets.
There are just 264 units being tracked and only 14, at La Vielle Plage, under construction.
The CI Tyres Yard, which will produce 70 affordable units, is at the pre-construction phase.
Groundwork is expected to begin this summer at the Mallard, where a mix of affordable and private housing is to be built totally 85 units.
Our tracking map allows you filter by name, the stage a site is at, the tenure, and also by the area they are in so you can see how planning clusters around the main centres and outer areas of St Peter Port and St Sampson/Vale, a deliberate planning policy.
Q&A
Q: What is Guernsey's annual housing target?
A: The States Strategic Housing Indicator sets a target of approximately 313 new units per year (1,565 units from 2023-2027), split between 844 private units and 721 affordable units.
Q: How many houses were actually built last year?
A: Only 62 net houses were constructed last year, and no new affordable housing units were completed, falling drastically short of the annual target.
Q: How many housing units are currently under construction?
A: There are currently 208 units under construction across 21 monitored sites, though this number may be slightly higher due to individual conversions not included in the tracking.
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