The Strategic Delivery Framework examines Parc Le Lacheur, Saltpans, Pointues Rocques, Fontaine Vinery and Franc Fief. Many of the sites are owned by the States.
The hope is that the document will establish a vision for the whole area, while outlining practical steps towards delivering new homes and community infrastructure.
‘The work marks a significant step forward in our efforts to deliver much-needed housing in a way that also supports sustainable, vibrant communities in the north of the island,’ said Employment & Social Security president Peter Roffey.
‘By taking a collaborative approach with Savills and working closely with both internal and external stakeholders, we’re laying the groundwork for long-term growth that benefits islanders now and into the future.
‘The north of the island holds enormous potential, and the SDF provides a clear and practical path to unlocking it in a sustainable way.’
While the work was led by Employment & Social Security – which is directly supporting the delivery of Affordable Housing sites – the work has been carried out in close collaboration with Environment & Infrastructure and the Development & Planning Authority.
The SDF considers the currently allocated sites within the Island Development Plan and the changes proposed by the Development & Planning Authority through the ongoing IDP review.
The report examined all aspects of the various sites and their advantages and challenges.
It notes that having well-connected mixed use neighbourhoods will create easy access for communities – encouraging walking and cycling. Delancey Park is currently the only major green space for local communities, but the report calls for greater use of other green spaces in the area, and the need to crate more recreational and play areas near these new neighbourhoods. It is suggested that Saltpans Park be formally designated as a key recreational space.
The report highlights the challenges the areas face, such as small lanes, challenging junctions and flood risks.
It was suggested that the new housing developments have a secondary street network to create a connected web of streets and spaces, rather than cul-de-sac.
When the report was written at the start of this year there was still no confirmed flood strategy for the area, but the delivery of housing on the northern IDP sites was dependent on resilient flood defences.
It also noted that house prices in St Sampson’s, like the rest of the island, have risen beyond the means of many islanders, but the high cost of construction locally limits the feasibility of introducing more affordable, innovative housing types.
The report is interspersed with images of Guernsey, as well as general pictures of wind turbines and farm land. It also looked at what other communities have done right, such as Rochester, Bristol and Oxford.
The report comes as the first drop-in to discuss infrastructure for the former Datapark site was held last night. The second drop-in is held today at St Sampson’s Church Hall from 10.30am-12.30pm.
Policy & Resources is currently preparing a planning application for infrastructure work on the site.
You need to be logged in to comment. If you had an account on our previous site, you can migrate your old account and comment profile to this site by visiting this page and entering the email address for your old account. We'll then send you an email with a link to follow to complete the process.