WATCH: Vale Avenue's derelict houses are finally coming down

Tuesday 15 May 2018

Work has finally started to remove the front of the derelict houses on Vale Avenue before the whole site is tidied up.

While it's not yet clear what will replace the houses in the long term, it is likely that some sort of community space will be created initially.

Work to remove the front of most of the houses, and the entire last house in the row of terrace houses north of the Bridge, started yesterday, following previous demolition work at the rear of the site which has been held up by scaffolding for years.

Guernsey Electricity's MD told Express that the utility firm is as pleased as the community to see the houses finally come down.

Derelict houses finally demolished! from Bailiwick Express on Vimeo.

MD Alan Bates explained how the company inherited the properties in 2001, after GEL was commercialised. It was clear they were not viable as housing due to the poor state of the buildings even then.

Since then, the company has made numerous attempts to pull them down but was refused permission until it could state what would replace them, subject to planning approval. However, a change in the planning laws means permission has been granted and the houses are now coming down entirely. 

Initially, the land they stand on will be tidied up and fenced off, until further plans are made, possibly in consultation with neighbours and the wider community.