Guernsey's Briarwood housing development approved without affordable homes

Residents react to the news that no new affordable homes will be built on the site...

The planning application to build 26 homes at Briarwood in Guernsey have been approved, but without any affordable homes.

This is despite planning laws stipulating around a quarter of homes in a development should be affordable. In this case it would have meant 7 homes were affordable.

The developers Housing and Infinity Construction however, successfully argued that the affordable homes would make the scheme unviable.

It was discussed at an open planning meeting and was approved by the majority after the Development and Planning Authority discussed the financial viability of the development and changes to the proposed access.

The President of the Committee that oversees Guernsey's social housing says it's devastating and will have far-reaching consequences Deputy Peter Roffey said it sets a precedent and now the Government is now unlikely to meet its target for affordable homes. He fears other developers will try and avoid building affordable homes as a result.

Deputy Victoria Oliver, Deputy John Dyke, Deputy Chris Blin and Deputy Sasha Kazantseva- Miller voted to approve the application, with Deputy Andrew Taylor voting to defer the decision.

Six islanders spoke at today's meeting and those who raised their concerns highlighted the need for affordable housing as their main reason against the development.

Deputy Victoria Oliver, President of the Development & Planning Authority, said: “Having deferred this decision in December, it was important today that we as a Committee made a decision one way or another to provide certainty to the developers.

“There is still great demand for private housing, and we have a role to play in helping to address this demand and ensuring that development takes place in accordance with the Island Development Plan.”

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