Calls made to replace controversial planning rule

The GP11 rule would see developers paying £102,000 to the States when a house is built

A draft report on Guernsey’s planning system has recommended replacing a controversial planning policy - GP11 - with a rule which would mean developers would have to pay £102,000 to the States when a house is built.

The BBC has spoken to a number of people who have been briefed on the draft report from consultants Arc4.

Guernsey’s Development and Planning Authority (DPA) said it had not received the final report and therefore could not comment.

The chief minister has published a plan to suspend GP11, a policy which requires a portion of developments to be affordable housing, for five years.

Developers have warned the draft policy could be inflationary and increase the cost of housing locally.

They have written to deputies, asking them to get rid of GP11 to help housebuilding locally.

The attempt to scrap the policy has received pushback from two of the States biggest committees, Environment and Infrastructure (E&I) and Employment and Social Security (ESS).

Deputy Peter Roffey warned that, if the policy was removed, it would lead to taxpayers picking up the bill for the States' affordable housing programme.

What is 'affordable housing'

The States of Guernsey describes "affordable housing" as "property that's reserved for certain groups of people who can't afford to rent or buy property on the private market".

This includes:

• States houses

• Partial ownership properties

• Extra care facilities

Arc4's report

Arc4 was commissioned in December 2023 to review the island's planning system.

The work included an assessment of whether the GP11 policy approach is still appropriate and whether or not it remains "viable, achievable and relevant".

Deputies have been invited to a presentation by Arc4 on Wednesday "which will explain the report, potential options and answer any questions".

Analysis: John Fernandez, BBC Guernsey political reporter

Many of the people I've spoken to who have been briefed on this report say the recommendation to replace GP11 with a £102,000 payment undermined the credibility of the entire document.

The people behind the report stress this was a draft of the final content, so may not make the final copy.

It has illustrated that, while there are calls to tweak and reform the controversial policy, there are many within and outside the States who won't be happy until it's completely scrapped.

The best way of doing that seems like the chief minister's amendment.

Whether this report will move the dial is yet to be seen.