Landowner gets planning shock but welcomes affordable homes
‘Horrendous’ was how one neighbour described the idea of having a possible 33 affordable new homes built on a former vinery site on Route Militaire, St Sampson’s.
The site, Collingwood, is the only one in the north of the island to be earmarked for potential affordable homes in the suggested updates to the Island Development Plan.
It being targeted came as news to the owner of the land, who said he had put it forward some time ago when there was an appeal for former vinery sites but had been unsuccessful then.
He said he only found out about it when he looked at a planning brief.
A former flower vinery, it has not been used since 1992, he said.
‘I’d not have a problem with them building on it and it’s up to them how many houses they put on there. It’s quite a big area but they do build rabbit hutches these days anyway,' he said.
‘I’m quite happy for it to be used for affordable homes.’
Other residents were unaware that the site was being looked at until told by the Guernsey Press and those spoken to did not think the area was suitable for so many homes.
‘It’s horrendous,’ said Jason Watkin, who has lived in his home nearby for ths past six years. ‘Everywhere they build nowadays is just not big enough.’
The site was empty when he moved in, he said. ‘I’d always hoped to buy off the owner one day.'
There was no timeline for the site’s development in the proposed IDP changes but Mr Watkin said he hoped it would not happen before he retired. ‘I’ve got eight years to go, then I’m retiring and leaving the island. Guernsey isn’t what it used to be.’
He said he had grown-up children in England who would not be coming back to the island.
Caroline Crisell said that she and her husband would also be likely to leave the island when he retires. They have owned their house since 2012.
She understood the urgent need for new homes.
‘Absolutely, it’s a problem. However I do rather feel that they are focusing very intently on this particular section of St Sampson’s and Vale.’
Despite assurances from the States and civil servants that there was sufficient infrastructure to cope with traffic, she was sceptical.
‘The nine o’clock traffic in Braye Road is horrendous.
‘We’re looking at 1,000 houses [in this area] and you have the issue of St Sampson’s School, which I understand is already at capacity, then there’s the sewers and drainage and the impact on the electricity supply.’
But Mrs Crisell said she was pleased that sites in other parishes were also being considered for affordable homes.
