'An appalling situation': no social housing built in Guernsey this year

No new social housing units will be built in Guernsey this year, according to the President of the island's Social Security Committee.

This comes despite an intense need for affordable homes and accommodation for key workers.

Deputy Peter Roffey says the fact that there will be none completed this year is an "appalling situation" when demand is so high.

He told ITV News: "The Guernsey Housing Association ran out of sites to build and because of the time gap between buying sites and being able to work up plans, overcome logistical problems and deliver, it's quite possible that we'll have absolutely no new units this year".

179 applicants are on the partial ownership waiting list and 343 households are on the social rental waiting list.

Islanders are also finding it increasingly hard to rent, putting more pressure on social housing.

The news is also confounded by the fact that only 16 new social housing units were built last year.

The States has a target of building 313 new homes every year for the next five years - a target Deputy Roffey says is needed but not achievable in that timescale.

The Guernsey Housing Association has been buying up sites to redevelop - including the former CI Tyres plot, which it is hoped will provide 25 new homes by 2024.

Even if these targets are met, however, the new properties are still some years away from completion.

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