Another build is planned for Guelles Road

The St Peter Port street, which runs past Amherst School, has been subject to a flurry of dense new housing developments over the last couple of years.

This week, HVC Ltd applied to demolish a bungalow and build eight new houses.

The planning application proposes that Longfield Bungalow, by the school, be demolished. In its place a new clos would be created. At the front would be four detached, three-storey houses, each with three bedrooms and a study. Behind these would be two pairs of semi-detached houses. Two would have three bedrooms and a study and the other two would have two bedrooms and a study.

All the houses would have to share 10 car parking spaces.

In the planning application, architect Andrew Merrett said the studies would not be used as bedrooms.

‘We have indicated studies, as we are aware of the increase in home working and the positive effect that can have in reducing traffic movements at peak times,’ he said in a letter.

‘We have reduced the size of these studies to below seven metres squared.

‘Therefore these will not be counted as bedrooms.’

Planning permission has already been granted in 2017 for the site to be converted into three houses and four flats. That application attracted four letters of objection, as well as serious concerns from the parish constables, who stated that the local infrastructure, such as roads and schools, was inadequate to cope with the number of dwellings.

The site has since been sold for £875,000.

On the Island Development Plan the lower section of Guelles Road is just within the main centre outer boundary – where development is being encouraged by planners – yet also just outside the St Peter Port conservation zone, where there are stricter rules on what can be built.

This has led to a number of building projects in the street.

In the lower part of the road, work was completed on the new Infinity Views last year, which saw one house demolished to make way for six houses. Across the road the Guernsey Housing Association demolished two houses and built 20 flats.

Further up the road Hotel Dunchoille has been demolished and work is currently under way to build 14 apartments on the site.

The latest plans for the bungalow can be viewed at Frossard House.

The public can make representations until 19 July.