Friday 28 August 2015
Media Enquiry from Guernsey Press:
In its letter of support for the housing department (dated 19 June), Environment states it endorses the housing target of 300 homes per year. It also says that should the target figure increase 'it is likely to have very significant implications for the delivery of the Island Development Plan.' This plan has yet to be finalised, so should the department have endorsed this figure at an early stage? Which department ultimately decided upon the figure, did Environment tell Housing this was a number it was happy with and could accommodate in the IDP, or did Housing give Environment the figure?
Does the department think this was the right way round to do this, and how will future Housing Needs Survey's fit into the IDP?
Being that the previous Housing Needs Survey took place in 2011, does the department think it is basing its recommendation on up to date information? Did it ever consider disagreeing with Housing?
Please add any commentary you wish to, and if possible can you response by 3.30pm today, as this would be for tomorrow's paper.
Environment Department Response:
The Strategic Housing Target is not determined by the Environment or Housing Departments but is set by the States of Guernsey. The target of 300 dwellings per year was set by the States in 2002 and remains the relevant Strategic Housing Target figure today, reflected in the requirements of the current Urban Area Plan.
In 2011 the States approved the Strategic Land Use Plan. The Island Development Plan must be consistent with the requirements of the Strategic Land Use Plan. The Strategic Land Use Plan requires the Island Development Plan to ensure that provision is effectively made to meet the annual requirement for the creation of new homes. It clarifies that, until a new Strategic Housing Target is approved by the States, the current housing target of 300 dwellings per year will remain in place.
The Island Development Plan has therefore been drafted taking account of, and provision for new housing has been based on, the current and existing States approved Strategic Housing Target of 300 dwellings per year and not on any proposed future target or the 2011 Housing Needs Study which has yet to be placed before the States.
As the Strategic Land Use Plan requires the Island Development Plan to make provision to meet the annual requirement for new homes, in the event that the States approves a new Strategic Housing Target the Island Development Plan will need to take this into account and reflect any changes in the requirements in the Plan policies. This may entail revisiting the basis for allocation of housing sites in the draft Plan and could impact on delivery of the Plan.
Once approved the Island Development Plan will be valid for 10 years. It is acknowledged that housing need may well change over that time so the Strategic Land Use Plan requires that, initially, the Island Development Plan makes provision for a 5 year supply of housing and to monitor supply and review delivery to assess an appropriate scale of housing provision for the remaining 5 years. As set out in Part 5 of the draft Plan this will be carried out in a number of ways and future Housing Need Studies will provide information for this process.
Contact Information:
Claire Barrett, Policy and Environment Manager
Environment Department
Tel: 717200
