The intention at this stage is for the homes to be 85% affordable housing and 15% private housing of one, two and three-bed accommodation.
Planning permission is being sought by Lovell Ozanne & Partners on behalf of Infinity Group, which is collaborating with the Guernsey Housing Association.
‘We believe that as long as the key target dates are met by all parties involved within the design process, that Infinity Construction would be in a position to commence construction works within the first week of February 2026,’ it said in the application.
‘This date being far earlier than any other known affordable housing development sites of this size.’
The development would occupy the areas to the north and south of the existing Mallard building, including its main car park, and include the bungalow behind the Venture Inn.
The Mallard Complex currently has a cinema, training facilities, visitor accommodation, a restaurant and health clinic.
Discussions over proposed development on the site have been ongoing for several years between developer Infinity Construction, landowner Hotel de France and the GHA, and discussions with Hotel de France have concluded with an affordable land cost being agreed.
‘The Mallard site presents an opportunity to deliver homes sooner than the larger sites within GHA’s ownership, which would form a valuable complement to GHA’s current and pipeline development programme,’ said GHA chief operating officer Lisa de Kooker.
‘The Mallard Complex site already has a development framework in place and, through this application, considerable detail has been worked up on the potential design of the site.
‘The location of the site is without significant infrastructure requirements, therefore further advantaging it above both the Parc Le Lacheur and Saltpans Data Park site in terms of speed of delivery.’
Deputies Lindsay de Sausmarez and Peter Roffey have submitted personal letters of support for the project, unrelated to their seats on the Employment & Social Security Committee.
‘The Mallard site is a unique opportunity to provide a significant number of new units, including a significant amount of affordable housing,’ said Deputy de Sausmarez.
‘The benefit of that speed of delivery cannot be underestimated.’
Deputy Roffey’s letter also acknowledged the unique speed of deliverability, and the site being the only one in the south of Guernsey with the potential to deliver significant numbers of new social housing units.
‘The land concerned is not currently used for farming and I doubt it has been for a very long time,’ he said.
‘It is not even particularly well related to actively farmed land to make its use for agriculture that attractive. In short I am not really sure why it is zoned as an APA.’
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