Guernsey Press

Housing permissions vastly exceed goal

SIGNIFICANTLY more housing permissions are in place than are required by States guidelines.

Published
Three development frameworks have been approved which could see more housing in the north. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 24173706)

The revelation comes as serious concerns have been raised at the number of houses being targeted for the north, particularly with the approval of development frameworks that could pave the way for another 160 dwellings in St Sampson’s and the Vale.

Residents, deputies and constables have questioned the level of housing at Pointues Rocques and Le Maresquet.

The States wants an average of 127 additional units built every year, less than half of what it required when the Island Development Plan, which governs what can be constructed, was approved.

To do this, the Development & Planning Authority aims to ensure that enough planning permissions are in place, called the pipeline supply – a figure of 194 to 314 new dwellings.

But at the end of 2018, there were 767 permissions in place, a number that has peaked at 1,146 in the first quarter.

DPA has acknowledged that concerns have been expressed about a ‘perceived oversupply of housing sites now that the indicators have been reduced’.

But it has stressed that is it not the place for development frameworks to address the issue of housing supply and they must simply reflect the policies of the IDP.

It has ruled out any change to planning policies at this stage, instead wanting to wait until the scheduled five-year review in November 2021.

‘Based on the current evidence, it is likely that at the time of the review of the IDP there will be no requirement to identify further land for housing given the current pipeline supply,’ it has said.

The authority stressed that not all permissions in the pipeline are implemented.

Since the IDP was approved in November 2016 there have been 148 private market units completed and an additional 93 units of affordable housing which, it said, is broadly similar to the indicator of 127 units per year.

‘The States has no control over implementation of planning permissions and cannot force developers to construct those housing units with planning consent so has no control over how many residential units are actually built which is heavily influenced by external matters such as finance availability and requirements, capacity of the construction industry and personal choice and investment,’ it said.

‘This is why the States chose to set an indicator rather than a target which is based on a minimum level of housing supply. It may be acceptable to provide for more than the minimum. The allocation of sites for housing, or the provision of policies which allow for the principle of residential development in Centres does not ensure development will occur and market forces and demand will affect the release and development of sites.’

A review of the IDP will only be brought forward if monitoring reports indicate an ‘urgent need’ to review land supply.

‘As the IDP has provided for a five year supply of housing land at the former higher requirement this will be taken into account when providing for the next five year housing land supply.’

In 2018, the States agreed that the strategic housing indicator be set at creating 635 new units of accommodation between 2017 and 2021, with a plus or minus variance of 149 new units to give the flexibility to react to market changes.

Before that it has aimed for 300 units a year.

Historically the island relied on the market bringing forward housing sites as and when it is required over the lifetime of the plan and that the market is best placed to ensure against oversupply, the Authority said.

‘However, there are other options which include Government intervention in the market by reducing the land supply for housing but the full implications of intervention and impacts on other IDP policies are best considered comprehensively at the five year housing land review of the IDP when trends (including population trends as a result of population policy) have had more time to establish. At present, this is considered to be an appropriate length of time and reaction to short term fluctuations on a more frequent basis will not allow for effective long term strategic land use planning.’