More than 1,700 local homes could be built across 17 sites

The appeal saw more than 300 sites put forward for development, with the SHLAA then examining how many of those were suitable.

Nearly 360 were rejected, with 301 of them not shortlisted as they were not inside the boundaries of the Town or Bridge main centres or inside the other local centres, such as L’Islet or St Peter’s.

A further 27 did not meet the size threshold of 0.25 acres. A dozen were classed as important open land, while six were thrown out for not being next to a centre boundary.

The SHLAA has identified 17 sites. Seven are already housing allocation areas – Les Petites Fontaines, La Vrangue, Belgrave Vinery, Cleveleys Vinery, two areas of the Saltpans and Pointues Rocques. Franc Fief was also listed, but it was not considered possible in the next five years.

Leale’s Yard has also been included.

This left nine new sites, some of which already have development frameworks in place.

The Mallard is currently home to a hotel, cinema, restaurant and salon, but it has been considered able to accommodate 59 homes.

The former Lloyd’s Bank in St Martin’s was seen as a good site for housing, with up to 14 suggested.

The nearby former St Martin’s Hotel has been derelict for about 10 years, but would accommodate 112 homes. In the north of the island, a field off La Hure Mare – known as Le Maresquet – could host 51 homes. The Coop in Nocq Road has also been identified as a good site for up to 40 homes, although there were some worries about flooding.

The remaining sites are in St Peter Port, with 35 homes suggested at the Gibauderie complex, 11 homes on the site of Quinn House in Amherst, 55 homes on a field on Pitronnerie Road and 11 homes at Mill Cottage in Arsenal Road.

These sites, apart from Franc Fief, were considered deliverable – meaning they are expected to be suitable, available and achievable within the next five years.

These 17 sites are separate from the affordable housing sites which have been identified.

When looking at affordable housing options only 13 sites were not constrained by other Island Development Plan policies. They were assessed and six were shortlisted – three in St Martin’s, and one each in Castel, Town and St Sampson’s. These six sites will have 80% affordable housing, which could result in 172 affordable homes and 43 private dwellings. Across these 24 sites, nine are greenfield sites, while the rest are brownfield sites or a mix of both.

n The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment is part of the evidence base to inform the focused review of the IDP. It checks how many potential development sites are available.

The SHLAA has been published alongside the IDP review.

FRANC FIEF

Issues around getting a traffic impact assessment prepared have seen former vinery site Franc Fief considered to be undeliverable within the next five years.

The large St Sampson's site was identified as a housing allocation area in the Island Development Plan, but there has not been a spade in the ground since.

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment included it within the 17 possible housing sites, but has also ruled that would not be achievable in the next five years.

The report said there was uncertainty about access to the site, which is surrounded by small lanes and that a traffic assessment would be needed to find an acceptable solution.

It was revealed earlier this year that the multiple owners of the site have failed to agree how to cover the cost of such an assessment.

The SHLAA did note that the site could well be developed in the future, but predicted that it was likely to be six to 10 years before more than 250 homes could be built.