More than 300 homes could be built on Fontaine/Belgrave site

The first phase of work, in what will be seen as a first move towards tackling the island’s housing crisis, could start next summer with the first homes completed in 2023.

The site has been earmarked for new houses for several decades and comprises the former light industrial area at Fontaine Vinery and part of the old Belgrave Vinery.

Most of it is owned by the States and, said the DPA in a statement, ‘therefore offers an opportunity for a mix of uses including a large proportion of affordable housing, as such the Policy & Resources Committee and the Committee for Employment & Social Security have partnered with the Guernsey Housing Association to develop options for the site’.

It is about 6.26 hectares (40.58 vergees) and the exact number of homes possible for the site depends on the nature of the plans submitted by developers.

But the DPA said that in order for the land to be used efficiently it expects between 20-50 dwellings per hectare, or between 125 and 313 in total.

‘We’re really pleased to approve this development framework on what is considered to be a largely brownfield site and hope this will go some way into enabling the provision of housing on-island,’ said DPA president Deputy Victoria Oliver.

Employment & Social Security president Deputy Peter Roffey is also chairman of the States’ Housing Action Group and said he was delighted on behalf of both that the DPA had signed off on the framework: ‘The need for social and affordable housing in Guernsey is probably greater than at any time since the 1980s,’ he said.

‘The need now is for the framework to be converted into detailed permissions and actual construction as quickly as possible to provide new social rental, key worker and partial ownership homes.'

The GHA said it was now setting about working on a detailed planning application would provide housing for rent, partial ownership, first-time buyers and key workers.

‘We are aiming to start building the first phase next summer with completed homes from 2023 onwards,’ said chief executive Steve Williams.

The draft framework was subject to a consultation between December 2020 and March this year and as a result of the matters raised several amendments were made, including emphasising the need for substantial public open space, removing an access point from Vale Road, adding the potential for a link road with Victoria Avenue, requiring a flood risk assessment, addressing concerns about on-street parking, and placing greater emphasis on encouraging complementary uses on the site.