Attempt to suspend affordable housing policy

A portion of current developments needs to be provided as affordable housing to the Guernsey Housing Association

An attempt to suspend a controversial planning policy for five years has been submitted by Guernsey's chief minister.

Currently GP11 means a portion of housing developments needs to be given as affordable housing to the Guernsey Housing Association.

Deputies Lyndon Trott and Victoria Oliver have put forward the motion which will be debated at the end of April.

The move faces opposition from Employment and Social Security (ESS) and Environment and Infrastructure (E&I).

Deputy John Dyke had proposed changes to the island's planning laws in an effort to get more houses built.

He's supportive of the move by the chief minister to suspend GP11 for five years.

"The legal advice I was getting for my requete from Development and Planning Officers is different to what Deputy Trott has had.

"My way would have taken more than a year, their plan is much simpler.

"On one level it's quite irritating, but on another it gets the same job as I intended done."

Mr Dyke had claimed GP11 was stopping housing developments.

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".

The proposal from Chief Minister Lyndon Trott is an amendment to a requete from Deputy John Dyke

ESS President Deputy Peter Roffey has argued removing GP11 entirely or suspending it will put the burden for affordable house building on the taxpayer.

It's a subject E&I President Lindsay de Sausmarez agrees with.

The Guernsey Housing Association has been approached for comment.