Young people, can you build it? Yes you can

May I suggest a new way is for you to form a Guernsey group (GG) of talents - labourers, electricians, plumbers, decorators, carpenters, window specialists, metalworkers, roofers, starter architects, starter lawyers, truck and digger drivers, young accountants. Many such workers should be young ladies and helping parents (yes you can).

Aim as a group to build, initially say 50, homes by working weekends and holidays over 18 months that will be lived in and owned by you all.

GG, please copy the Canada model by building wooden or metal structure as the core strength of the home. No concrete blocks placed one upon the other like in medieval times.

n House insulation in between the inner block board and outer wall cladding—-very warm in winter and cool in summer.

n Use large plate glass windows.

n Have balconies large enough for a dining table on each house - essential.

n Do not have an individual garden (lower cost) increase internal dimensions of home.

n Do not have a garage (lower cost) increase internal dimensions of home.

n No joined homes, hence giving good acoustic separation, so can have a Hi-Fi.

n Common area for parking with charging points for cars and bikes, with charging meters tied to each home.

n Common enclosed area for trash-bins away from all homes.

n Strengtheners put as part of sidings and roofs for future south-facing solar panels.

n Future possibility for a lift is planned into the design for accessiblity.

n Each house is identical to minimise cost.

n All electricity - no log fires, no gas heating, future-proofed for climate change.

n Two bedrooms with ability to turn into three bedrooms by moving internal walls.

n Wired with high-performance WiFi cabling.

n Wired for satellite TV.

n Wide front or back doors.

n An enclosed outside common area with children’s play area and cooking area.

n Identical kitchens in all homes to reduce cost.

n A dedicated common outside building to allow for any pandemic working from home. Multiple acoustically-separated areas with full computer access facility.

n Please ignore the Housing Committee - no homes on stilts, no factory-built junk homes with small windows.

By this means you will carry the population as no increase in taxes. Fund it all yourselves.

GG persuade the Policy and Resources Committee with your costless solution to release States-owned land to be rented out to your Guernsey Group for 100 years. How about at the old Castel hospital grounds?

This means you never own the land but do own the house. This leasing is only for young Guernsey residents and not for so-called important workers. A young Guernsey person has more value than an important bar worker.

It would not allowed to be rented out when built.

Work as a single group in obtaining mortgages from only Guernsey-based companies. This spreads risk to any Guernsey mortgage company and hence increases potential to obtain mortgages at an advantageous rate.

Obtain a good architect who has experience in wooden/metal houses with large windows. Choose a common design for all homes to minimize cost.

Young ladies form a sub group where you build houses as well. This is long overdue.

Persuade the College of FE to act as consultants in aspects of the design where they have the skills.

The main hurdle will be the opposition from existing house builders, developers, land owners and the States Housing Committee but GG as a group can handle this with articles in the press and internet sites. Do not lose your enthusiasm or give in.

Young people, yes you can absolutely build such wooden/metal homes with large windows and doors plus not on stilts or small-windowed fabricated houses.

REX FERBRACHE