"Land shortage from 2022"

Friday 24 April 2020

The island is facing an affordable housing crisis with land supply set to run out next year.

The States this week debated and approved the cancellation of the five-year IDP review.

Its cancellation was suggested by the Development & Planning Authority, who had responsibility for the review, in the light of covid-19 and the need to focus resources.

Debate on it exposed just how far the States’ efforts to improve the housing market for low income families and first time buyers have fallen behind schedule.

Since the IDP was approved in 2016, not a single developer has passed the 20-property threshold for new development that would require them to build ‘affordable’ houses, a condition attached to future developments in the island plan.

Around 100 affordable property units in total were built between the IDP's approval in 2016 and 2019. 

Employment & Social Security President Michelle Le Clerc was worried that pausing the IDP review will mean that the current affordable housing quotas will remain as they are for the foreseeable future.

"There is a shortage of land supply and there will be no land available from 2022 to build affordable housing," she said.

Pictured: DPA President Dawn Tindall.

The after effects of covid-19 are expected to send shockwaves through the economy and Deputy Le Clerc warned that the housing market is likely to change as a result.

"There will be even more of a requirement for social housing and rental properties going forward," she predicted.

However, the joint review of housing overseen by Deputy Le Clerc's committee and Environment & Infrastructure, commenced early in this States term, has also stalled and is unlikely to be completed any time soon.

Deputy Dawn Tindall, President of the DPA, said that even if this aspect of the IDP review could still go ahead, her authority was dependent on the ESS and E&I review to identify what the island's housing needs are and explore some of the solutions.

"We are of course waiting for [that review] in order to undertake our review anyway, and that has been delayed and has now been delayed further,” she lamented.

The States also has an ongoing review looking at social housing and the role of the GHA in providing partial ownership properties.

Pictured top: Deputy Michelle Le Clerc.