States to attract PEH staff with discounted rents at Ville au Roi
GUERNSEY is trying to attract doctors and nurses to the island by building new staff accommodation a few minutes’ walk from the hospital.
The Guernsey Housing Association, Health & Social Care, and Employment & Social Security are working in partnership to build 22 new homes for HSC staff.
The process of building 14 one-bed flats, two two-bed houses and six three-bed houses on land at Beauville, Ville au Roi, began yesterday, as the remaining buildings started to be demolished.
Health & Social Care president Heidi Soulsby said the project was designed to make the island appeal to staff which are difficult to find.
‘It’s part of the need to make Guernsey an attractive place for our keyworkers,’ she said.
‘We know there’s a worldwide shortage in nursing and we need to up our game to attract people that are in really high demand occupations.’
The development is expected to be completed by July 2019 at a cost circa £3.4m. The land has been provided at a discounted price by the States, which helped to finance the project, and should keep the rents down.
Employment & Social Security president Michelle Le Clerc said she wants the new, affordable houses to attract families to the island instead of the UK.
‘We know that housing is considerably cheaper in the UK and we need to compete,’ she said.
‘We want to attract and keep as many people as we can.
‘In the past we’ve been able to attract single people because we’ve had some really good accommodation for them, but now we have the opportunity to provide bespoke housing for people who want to bring over families.’
The land had previously been occupied by what used to be Priaulx Garage, a small shop and some older Health & Social Care buildings.
Guernsey Housing Association will project manage the construction, and will own and maintain the new builds.
GHA president Chris Hill said the site was in a good location and that he looks forward to seeing it being used.
‘The location’s proximity to the hospital is really useful,’ he said.
‘It will be good to see this land cleared up and really used productively.
‘This is a really important initiative for us because it is the GHA being able to help other departments.’
RG Falla won the contract to do the work.
