Building work could start next summer on major housing development

Friday 20 August 2021

Up to 313 properties could be built on the Belgrave Vinery, starting from next summer, with a large proportion of the Vale Road site earmarked for ‘affordable’ housing.

A Development Framework has been approved by the Development & Planning Authority.

Detailed planning permissions will still need to be submitted and signed off before any work can start on the site, which could house anywhere between 125 and 313 properties. 

The Draft Development Framework was the subject of a public consultation between December 2020 and March 2021.

Several amendments were made, removing an access point from Vale Road, adding the potential for a link road with Victoria Avenue, requiring a range of affordable housing and a commitment to carrying out a flood risk assessment. 

Pictured: The site falls within a flood risk area. For the most part, this is at a risk of 1:250 year flooding, with smaller portions of the site falling within 1:100 year, 1:50 year and 1:10 year flood risk zones.

The Guernsey Coastal Defences Flood Risk Assessment Studies, published back in 2012 and cited within the development framework, indicate the threat of regular overtopping along the Belle Greve Bay.

The results of the flood risk assessment will have significant implications for the development of the site, which spans an area of 6.26 hectares (40.58 vergées).

The majority of the land is States-owned and offers an opportunity for a mix of uses including a "large" but unspecified proportion dedicated to affordable housing. 

Policy & Resources and Employment & Social Security have partnered with the Guernsey Housing Association to develop options for the site. 

“The need for social and affordable housing in Guernsey is probably greater than at any time since the 1980s,” said Deputy Roffey, President of E&SS and the Chair of the States’ Housing Action Group.

"While the solution will obviously require multiple housing schemes this site certainly has the capacity to make a significant difference.

“The need now is for the framework to be converted into detailed permissions and actual construction as quickly as possible to provide new social rental, key worker and partial ownership homes.” 

Pictured: GHA Chief Executive Steve Williams said the plan is to get spades in the ground next summer, subject to planning approval being secured and the outcome of the flood risk assessment. 

Steve Williams, Chief Executive of the Guernsey Housing Association, said his team are busy working on a planning application.

“[This will] provide much needed housing for rent, partial ownership first time buyers, and key workers,” he said of the potential development. 

“We are aiming to start building the first phase next summer with completed homes from 2023 onwards.” 

Deputy Victoria Oliver, President of the Development & Planning Authority, added: “The site has been earmarked for housing development for several decades, having previously formed part of the larger Belgrave Vinery Housing Target Area and currently being designated as a Housing Allocation site in the Island Development Plan.”

Pictured: The Belgrave site is just a short distance away from the controversial 68-home Pointues Rocques development, which is currently being reviewed by the Planning Department. 

Pictured top: The Belgrave site covers an area of more than 40 vergées.