Powers-that-be should go back to drawing board

So-called family homes with small rooms, small gardens and one/two parking spaces, leading to further on-street parking, are being built wherever they can be jammed in. This takes me to my first question.

Could somebody please give me the definition of the term ‘affordable housing’, which is carelessly thrown around by certain politicians? I see houses being built, the dimensions of which would lead one to believe that they will be basic ‘affordable houses’ only to find that when completed they are put on the market at prices in excess of £450,000.

My second question is, who is responsible for putting together figures for the number of new-build houses supposedly needed each year and how do they arrive at these numbers?

I can understand the statistics for social housing, as people in need of a States house register with the authority. But taking into account the number of empty properties around the island currently for sale, I do wonder how a definitive number of new-builds necessary each year is arrived at.

I firmly believe that developers apply for more dwellings on a site than is necessary/realistic in the hope that it will be passed unopposed and therefore makes the whole development more lucrative. How many times have we seen applications for a ridiculous number of houses on a site which are refused permission and then at a later date permission is granted for slightly fewer houses, and the general public are supposed to breathe a sigh of relief and believe ‘justice has been done’. Not so. It’s just mind games and still leaves the developer rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

There is absolutely no need for the current proposed developments in the Vale and St Sampson’s. If such sites as the field at La Hure Mare are deemed suitable for housing under the Island Development Plan then the powers-that-be need to go back to the drawing board and change the IDP. And sooner rather than later.

Strange how when we journey to other countries we expect to see the original and quaint aspects, yet we continue to build unsuitable buildings in unsuitable areas and we still expect visitors to come to Guernsey to boost our economy when the ‘real Guernsey’ is fast disappearing under mounds of concrete and tarmac.

PAT DEVENPORT,

Fermanville,

Clos de Roberge,

Summerfield Road, Vale, GY3 5UJ.