Friday 16 November 2012
Planning Application at the Longfield site, off the Maurepas Road, St Peter Port, by Guernsey Housing Association in partnership with the States Housing Department
The Guernsey Housing Association (GHA) has applied to the Environment Department for permission to build 15 houses at the former Longfield Centre site off the Maurepas Road, comprising 12 two-bed and three three-bed houses.
The States-owned site will be sold to GHA at a discounted price to help finance 10 houses for social rent and five for partial ownership to first time buyers.
The old Longfield Centre wooden huts have been cleared away and there are three houses remaining on the site. GHA appreciates the assistance of the Education Department and the Housing Department in improving the access to this site, which involves widening the lane to Maurepas Road and creating passing bays
Steve Williams, Chief Executive of Guernsey Housing Association said:
''This site gives us an opportunity to provide an attractive clos of 15 houses, with 30 parking spaces, and their own rear gardens, providing a great spot to bring up your family, near to a School and other facilities''.
''The planning application has just been submitted so we would hope to have a planning permission by spring 2013 and start building work in the summer 2013, after tendering the work locally. We are already assessing interest from some of the medium sized local builders. The contract value is likely to be in the region of £2m to £2.5m.''
The development does not require any direct financial contribution from the States as the discounted land price provides enough subsidy to make social rented and partial ownership properties viable. As always, the partial ownership properties will remain available for lower income households in perpetuity. The cost of the development will be covered by a Bank Loan raised by GHA locally from RBSi and paid off from the rental income over 30 years, like a household mortgage.
The Housing Minister, Deputy Dave Jones, said:
"Recent GHA developments have mainly provided housing for older people, but in this instance, given the site's proximity to Amherst School, both GHA and Housing thought that family homes would be most suitable. We are trying to cater for a range of housing needs across the island, and this site will be part of our ongoing commitment, through the Corporate Housing Programme, to house lower income families in good quality accommodation'.
The houses will be owned and managed by GHA, and nominations will come from Housing Department and GHA waiting lists for rented and partial ownership housing. GHA will be building the houses to its usual high insulation levels, draught proofing, using solar panels and reducing fuel costs.
