'No proposals will be made to abolish the open market'

A PUBLIC consultation document on population policy will not contain any recommendation to scrap the open market, the chief minister confirmed yesterday.

But Deputy Lyndon Trott and Population Policy Group chairman Bernard Flouquet both stopped short of saying no changes would be made to it.

The announcement will be welcomed by estate agents, several of whom had urged ministers and the States to declare their support for the two-tier housing market.

Deputy Trott (pictured) yesterday said: 'My personal view is that the open market has become established as a long-standing feature of our community which delivers a number of benefits - particularly from economically active high net worth individuals who reside in this sector - which are not generally appreciated.

'Indeed, in my opinion any proposals which might emerge following the consultation process should build on what is good about the open market, not seek to destroy it.'

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