GHA plans partnership for key worker homes

A planning application for the site off Les Oberlands, directly opposite the hospital entrance, has been submitted by experienced developer Infinity Construction.

There is already planning permission for eight homes, with either three and four bedrooms.

But that plan would be scrapped under these proposals.

Instead Infinity would build six homes at the back of the site – two-bed maisonettes, two one-bed apartments and two three-bed semi-detached houses.

It would also build the 15 one-bed flats for the GHA at the front of the site.

Guernsey Housing Association chief executive Vic Slade said there were many advantages to working jointly with a private business.

‘It gives assurance over contractor availability and shares the responsibility for delivering the units at the required standards, on time, within budget,’ she said.

‘If this model is successful, this could be an approach that may be followed on other sites owned by the GHA that would see the development of both affordable housing and private market housing alongside each other.’

The proposal would have two, three-storey blocks – one with seven flats and the other with eight – for key workers.

The existing access to the field would be used and widened.

Ms Slade said it was important to make best use of the land, but also to have green spaces in the site.

‘It’s got to be somewhere where people want to live.’

Talks to get the deal in place began back in May, before Infinity bought the field in June.

Infinity joint managing director Paul Nobes said working with the States had taken longer than on their usual ventures, as the States needed to do its own due diligence.

While Infinity will be operating for profit on its own houses, Mr Nobes said they were ensuring the GHA properties would be good value for money for the GHA and the States.

‘The site is perfect for a mixed tenure development,’ he said.

‘We believe, and hope, that this type of joint venture will prove to be a new and effective way of working and will be the template for public/private partnerships of this nature going forward across other housing development sites.’

The site has several homes around the field. Mr Nobes said he had spoken to a number of neighbours, who understood the need for more key worker housing.

The planning application has only been submitted to planning this week, so is not yet online.

If it is approved quickly, it is hoped work would start in March, with the land being levelled and a retaining wall at the back of the site.

This would allow building work to take place in the drier month. It is estimated that the build will take 18 months.