Wednesday 15 January 2025
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Multi-occupancy house plans approved

Multi-occupancy house plans approved

Wednesday 15 January 2025

Multi-occupancy house plans approved

Wednesday 15 January 2025


A new property can now be built in the back garden of an existing house of multi-occupancy in Le Bouet.

The developer has had their latest plans approved after amending them in light of previous feedback when the original designs were refused.

The Development and Planning Authority has now said the owner of Bardigiana, which is near the Longstore end of Le Bouet, can build the new property for 17 people in the back garden.

While the DPA acknowledged that the new property could be occupied by up to 24 people one of the conditions of it being built is that it is currently limited to 17. 

13 people already live in the existing property in the foreground of the site meaning 30 will be living across the two properties. 

At least two other people opposed the planned development - saying that adding to the number of people living on the Bardigiana site will add to noise and anti-social behaviour in the area.

Concerns were also raised about further development in the already built up area, while this property won't add to the housing market for families. 

Neighbours were concerned the windows from the first and second floors of the new property will overlook their homes, while neighbouring gardens could become "unusable" due to the number of residents and visitors congregating towards the rear of Bardigiana.

Traffic concerns were also raised with pedestrian safety cited as a problem because there isn't a footpath outside the property and the nearest crossing is 30metres away, plus no parking will be provided so if the new residents own vehicles they will add to congestion and demand for on-street parking in the area. 

Emergency access to the new property - at the rear of another property - was also cited as a concern.

The DPA said these issues and others were considered but the plans were ultimately approved.

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Both the Office of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation and the Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service gave the new designs the green light, with Environmental Health saying it did not wish to object but it advised the property owner to take note of new laws being drafted which will  improve rental property housing standards, including houses of multiple occupation.

The Fire and Rescue Service said the feedback it had given to the previous plans, which were rejected, "has been understood, accepted and suitably addressed" and that the new plans are supported.

In approving the amended plans, the DPA said that "the proposed development would not appear unduly obtrusive in the wider area nor out of keeping with the character and appearance of development in this area".

It also said that "the erection of a building in the location proposed would not result in undue harm to the character of the locality".

In response to some of the concerns raised by neighbours, the DPA said the new building "will not result in unacceptable levels of overshadowing to adjacent dwellings or sensitive areas of garden".

Where noise or anti-social behaviour may be a concern for neighbours, the DPA said there isn't any evidence to demonstrate that it will be, and that is outside of the remit of the Planning Service anyway so it wouldn't be justification to refuse permission.

For future tenants of the new multi-occupancy property, the DPA said all of the bedrooms will exceed the minimum room sizes for sleeping accommodation for two persons.

It also said that although all floors will be served by a staircase only, precluding access for some wheelchair users, the staircase would offer access to the upper floors by ambulant disabled. The DPA also said the layout could be adapted at a later date to meet the changing needs of occupiers.

READ MORE...

New 'multi-occupancy' build plans submitted

Fire safety concerns see Bouet house plan refused

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