Spreading housing like marmalade ‘won’t do’

In recent days there has been huge kick-back against development in the north, following the rejection of a major housing development at Pointes Rocques.

Deputy Roffey, who used to represent the Vale as a parish deputy, said the approach to concentrate new housing in existing ‘urban centres’, to delineate between the urban and rural areas of the island, was the right one.

‘Some people don’t believe that is the right approach. I do,’ he said.

‘The idea of turning the whole island into some kind of suburbia and spreading housing like marmalade across the middle of toast evenly is not sensible because we all enjoy going out to Torteval, even if we live in St Peter Port.

‘So, it is going to be, I think, probably the eastern side of the island from St Sampson’s up to St Martin’s that is still going to continue to take the bulk of it, although there are urban centres all around the island, and I’d like to see some tie-ins there as well.’

Deputy Roffey wants to see more units of accommodation created ‘above the shop’ in areas Town too, particularly Mill Street and Mansell Street.

‘It would make St Peter Port far more vibrant particularly if a lot of young people aren’t obsessed with having a parking spot and would quite like to live in Town,’ he said.

‘An extra 40 or 50 houses above shops in Town would be really welcome. But it’s not going to be the game changer,’ he said.

He also raised concerns about why a number of sites earmarked for housing had been sitting undeveloped for quite a long time.

‘One of the problems is that some of the private developers do appear to be sitting on sites with planning permission – land banking them if you like.

‘I can’t quite work out why if we’re not going to do them in the current market, when on earth is going to be better, because housing prices are very high at the moment.’

New housing is currently being directed towards the Bridge and Town centres, as well as local centres, like Cobo, St Martin’s village and L’Islet.