Plans to rezone fields between St George’s School and La Grande Route de St Pierre, known as the Ville du Manoir site, so that 65 homes for first-time buyers could be built have been shelved since they were rejected last year by Planning.
The States recently agreed not to debate the proposals – first brought forward in 2014 by former St Peter Constable John Refault – until 2021, along with the next Island Plan.
But Senator Moore said, following the publication of new statistics on Thursday showing that over 2,700 homes were needed in the next two years to meet demand, it was clear action needed to be taken now.
‘Given the findings of the housing-needs report, it should be clear to Members that the needs of the community are desperate and we must work together to ensure that we assist in boosting the supply of housing,’ she said. ‘This project is ready to go and has the support of the parish, who have voted in favour of it three times.’
Some families on the waiting list for the proposed development – which would see the three-bedroom homes sold at a 25 per cent discount, with a bond held by the parish – told the JEP last week they are losing hope.
Senator Moore said the precedent for the Assembly taking action was set in 2008, when eight fields were rezoned for housing for over-55s and first-time buyers, three years ahead of the 2011 Island plan. ‘We have clear need, we must respond to the needs of our community,’ she
added.
The Future Housing Needs report 2019–2021 found that the greatest shortfall in housing supply will be for two- and three-bedroom homes, with 1,980 more households expressing a desire to buy than the number of homes that would be available. The the shortage of housing has almost doubled in size since the last period report, which covered 2015–2018.
