New affordable homes get green light

The homes will be built on a former protected site

Plans to build 37 affordable homes in St John, Jersey, have been approved.

The development by Ashbe Construction includes a mixture of two, three and four bedroom homes, parking and gardens.

The new homes will be built on a former protected site at Sion - now rezoned by the government for housing.

Planners said the development would help with the island's need for housing.

Andy Jehan, Constable for the St John parish, said he was pleased the new homes had been approved.

"There's an absolute need for affordable homes.

"St John has a history of providing affordable homes and this is our next step," he said.

"I'm really pleased to see there are some rental homes as well, because sadly some people aren't able to buy properties and it'll be great that we have some properties in St John for social rental," added Mr Jehan.

Bat corridors

Original plans included 38 properties, but this was reduced to 37 to allow space for bat corridors.

Ashbe Contruction's managing director, Ben Cairney, said: "We decided that, on balance, it was the right thing to do for the wider scheme, to remove that house and it creates the perfect amount of space for the bat corridors," he said.

The Sion development is the first to be approved on sites that were rezoned in the last Island Plan.