ESS president throws weight behind tower block scheme
Building a tower block in La Charroterie would be a ‘very significant’ boost to the key worker programme, Employment & Social Security president Peter Roffey has said.
The Guernsey Housing Association’s proposals would provide 57 one-bed flats over 10 floors on the former CI Tyres site.
Deputy Roffey welcomed the plans, saying that his committee was completely supportive of the application.
‘We worked with the GHA in developing the concept which is aimed primarily at key workers,’ he said.
‘The site is rare, in the Guernsey context, in being set against a cliff face.
‘This gives the opportunity for a relatively high rise development, without any adverse visual impact.’
He said that, while the development was outside of Health & Social Care’s usual parameters for the ideal proximity to the hospital for key worker housing, e-bikes could provide the answer for the ‘few hundreds of metres’ travel required to get to the PEH.
He added that, together with the GHA signing conditions of sale for the former Braye Lodge Hotel, meaningful inroads were about to be made into the requirement for additional key worker housing.
‘We respect that the Development & Planning Authority must go through proper procedure in processing this planning application, but ESS very much hopes the project can make rapid progress.’
St Peter Port junior constable Jenny Tasker said that a computer-generated image of the development from architects Lovell Ozanne looked incredible, but wished to study the plans further before finalising her opinion.
‘The block looks somewhat bulky, and I want to know more about the possibility of a bridge connecting the block to the cliffs behind,’ she said.
‘We do need accommodation, but whether this is the way forward I’m not sure, I need to look at it more carefully.’
She expressed concern that the development would not be in keeping with the looks of other nearby buildings.
‘However, people got used to Cour du Parc nearby and that’s also 10 storeys, so I’m sure they would get used to this.’
She added that the plans had been circulated to the parish’s douzeniers, who would be asked to comment on them soon.
‘We will then decide whether we have any objections or points for discussion.’
The site is about a mile from the Princess Elizabeth Hospital and would take about 20 minutes to reach on foot.
