Plans for Parc Le Lacheur development now online

The Guernsey Housing Association is proposing to redevelop the site to have a mixture of rental and partial ownership homes in what is one of the biggest single developments the busy area has seen.

Two water towers, a redundant boiler house with smoke stack and a glasshouse are all set to be demolished as part of the plans, as well as a house on Braye Road, with the site of the property being used to form the new access.

It is hoped in the long term that the traffic light junction on Route Militaire would be used.

The Saltpans Road wall would be lowered to just over a metre high, with a new pedestrian and emergency vehicle access point created in the wall. A new pedestrian and cycle access would also be created onto Lowlands Road. There would be a mix of properties inside the site.

The 60 one-bed flats would be spread among the nearly 70 two- and three-bed houses. Two five-bed houses would be built close to Lowlands Road.

The first phase of the work would see new homes at the north end of the area, where there is a large pond.

Phase two would involve the eastern side of the site.

Because the main road access would be onto Braye Road to the north, and the properties around it would then be occupied, the GHA has suggested a temporary entrance from the former data park site in the west be created.

‘This site is currently owned by the GHA and would take traffic along a dedicated route, causing minimal disruption to neighbouring properties and local road networks,’ it is stated in the application.

The third phase would see the properties to the western side built.

The final phase would see the four acres of new public parkland created.

The park would feature several raised planted mounds around a grassed area. A public parking area, managed by the GHA, would be created for the park, with nine car spaces.

The housing development would have more than 200 car parking spaces.

The plans feature correspondence from all manner of interested parties.

States archaeologist Dr Phil de Jersey was consulted, in case his team wished to do any checks on the site.

But he said it was unlikely there would be anything to find as the previously dense cover of glasshouses would have likely destroyed any archaeology.

He did request to see any core samples taken from the site, so they could discover if there was a peat layer and – if so – how deep it was.

Guernsey Police’s crime reduction advisor Chris Williamson recommended a number of safety measures, including that a CCTV plan be drawn up and implemented. He welcomed the green spaces, but recommended that trees be planted so that they do not obstruct CCTV cameras.

If the plans are successful, it is hoped work could start in mid-2023.

• The plans can be viewed at https://www.gov.gg/liveplanningapplications