‘We are in a very bad way over housing'

During debate on the collation of existing statistics and other information into a housing action plan, Deputy Aidan Matthews argued that action was more urgently needed than even the proposer of the amendment had recognised.

‘It’s this year. It’s now,’ he said. ‘I’d like to see not just an action plan, but some action.’

He highlighted the flight of young professional families from the island as ‘terrible for our demographics’ and argued that it may not be possible for the island to build its way out of a housing emergency due to the inability of the construction industry to keep up with the massive programme of building that has now become necessary – a point which echoed concerns raised by Deputy Lyndon Trott.

Deputy Matthews was one of several deputies who spoke in favour of Deputy Neil Inder’s amendment to create a housing action plan, a comprehensive overview of States-owned land available for housing development, along with any land considered for development by the former Housing Action Group – an amendment which was eventually carried without opposition.

In laying it, the Economic Development president said he had never known a housing situation as desperate as the one currently faced by islanders.

‘I’ve never see the like,’ he said. ‘The desperation is so deep and so keen, they’re looking for absolutely anything.’

He said he had been involved in the supply of self-catering accommodation for almost a decade and was now seeing an unprecedented number of requests for the use of his units as emergency housing.

‘We are in a very bad way and we are under obligation to act.’

Deputy Carl Meerveld spoke in support of the amendment as a small, incremental step that would help the situation, citing the example of a friend of his, a doctor with a spouse and two young children, who has been waiting for building work to finish on a house they plan to move into.

Delays in the work have meant they have moved from one holiday let to another, and now the family is living on a campsite with Deputy Meerveld keeping their belongings at his house. ‘That’s nothing to do with money – he can afford it.’

Deputy Peter Roffey expressed concerns that publishing a plan of potential sites might interfere with commercial sensitivities and potentially scupper new deals.

He was also disappointed about sites being sold by Policy & Resources that could have been suitable for housing development.

During his speech in support of the amendment, which he was seconding, Chief Minister Peter Ferbrache said he had single-handedly saved taxpayers £250,000 on the deal to buy land off Route Militaire which for a long time had been earmarked for use as a data park. The purchase was announced by the States this week

‘It was going to cost £5m. but I then spoke, on behalf of the States, to the developer, who reduced the price by £250,000 – not ESS, not Deputy Roffey, not Deputy [Lindsay] de Sausmarez but Deputy Ferbrache,’ he said.

Having been supported by 34 votes to none, with one abstention from Alderney representative Alex Snowdon, the proposition was added to those which will be voted upon at the end of the Government Work Plan debate.