Politician calls for derelict Guernsey glasshouses to be used for new homes

A Guernsey politician is calling for derelict greenhouses in the island to be replaced by new housing.

Deputy Steve Falla says reviewing redundant glasshouse sites could help solve Guernsey's housing crisis by freeing up more land for building.

He said: “I’m not saying that all derelict glass on the island could be turned over to housing but I’m fairly certain that some of it could without a significantly detrimental effect on the landscape."

A report by Guernsey's Development and Planning Authority found there were over 75 hectares - or more than 100 football pitches worth - of redundant glass in the island in 2019.

Those in charge of planning say the task of removing these houses is not that simple.

Deputy Victoria Oliver, president of Guernsey's Development and Planning Authority, says some of the greenhouses will be contaminated but some won't."

She said: "Some will have huge concrete slabs that aren't that easy to get out, some will just be a wooden frame, some are aluminium, there might even be asbestos in some cases, but it is clarified as greenfield land and it is agricultural land at the moment.

"I'm the first person that would say let's build on brownfield sites, I hate seeing greenfield sites go, but we need to do this properly and we need to do it evidence-based."

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