Plans for Mallard homes concern Forest residents

A number of residents spoken to by the Guernsey Press said that they were only alerted to the planning application when they read it in yesterday’s newspaper.

Megs Bailey and her husband Jeff live close to the site.

‘I was shocked when I saw the news that there would be 100 homes,’ she said.

‘We were prepared to accept 30 homes, but 100 is too big.’

She also had concerns that there could be up to 200 extra cars in the area, which could be dangerous with two primary schools nearby.

The planning application states that the proposed works do not adversely affect the operation of the existing Mallard Complex.

Due to it being an outline planning application, no visuals have so far been produced for what the buildings would look like.

The cover letter for the application said the proposed buildings would be designed to fit in with the built environment in the area, and access roads made from sustainable drainage products.

The northern, eastern and southern boundaries of the Mallard site contain a mix of established native planting, and the plan proposed that it would enhance the boundaries with native species, creating a landscaped buffer zone of 3m depth from the boundary.

‘We need housing and the site most definitely has the room for housing, but I’m just not sure if 100 is too many,’ said one resident who did not want to be named.

‘There are many people looking to buy and so 85% affordable housing [proposed for the site] is great, but there are no drawings or diagrams of what the different types of home will look like, so it’s hard to say at this stage whether people will be crammed in like sardines.

‘Yes to building homes on the site, but perhaps not 100, and include some gardens or green space so it’s not one massive block of concrete.’