Bid to scrap Guernsey affordable housing policy

The average house price in Guernsey is more than £500,000

A deputy is trying to get a controversial planning policy, which requires a portion of new developments to be affordable housing, scrapped.

Deputy John Dyke said he was "working on the Development and Planning Authority" to get rid of GP11.

But he said if that did not work, he would lead a requete - or political petition - to remove the policy.

He said: "It has been a terrible decision and it is something we can undo at no cost."

Mr Dyke said the policy was "damaging the middle range of people in Guernsey, people we depend on" and getting rid of it should "unlock the housing market".

"These people are severely stressed," he said.

"Couples working in the private sector, both working, are telling me they can no longer afford to buy a house and that is really outrageous and depressing."

The policy means developers building more than 20 dwellings have to provide part of the developable area of the site for affordable housing.

The percentage of the site set aside for affordable housing increases with the size of the development but there is a part of the policy that states it can be waived if discussed with the Development and Planning Authority.

Ellie Jones said housing costs in Guernsey had made her consider moving away

So far no new affordable houses have been built because of GP11, which was introduced in 2016.

It is one of the main criticisms from politicians like Mr Dyke, who said the policy itself is stopping people from developing.

Ellie Jones moved out of her flat last year, after her landlord put her rent up by 60%.

"It was gutting, we can't afford £1,700 a month for a one bedroom flat," she said.

"We could maybe go up to £1,400 or £,1500 but then we'd struggle to save."

She said prices locally had led to her considering moving away.

President of Employment and Social Security, Deputy Peter Roffey said he disagreed it was GP11 which was leading to a lack of properties being built.

He said: "It is not stymieing building it is people like Mr Dyke who keep hanging out the prospect of it being scrapped that is stymieing development.

"It is an excellent thing as it means when people win the Guernsey lottery and get planning permission for a bit of land, a bit of that is fed into social housing.

"If it wasn't for GP11 it would be extremely difficult to find the sites I need for affordable housing."

Analysis by BBC Guernsey political reporter John Fernandez

What came first? The chicken or the egg?

Is the lack of new affordable housing being caused by GP11 putting off developers?

Or is speculation that GP11 could be removed meaning developers are holding off on their sites until the policy is scrapped?

The aim of the policy is laudable - but the evidence shows that since 2016, in six years a grand total of zero houses have been built because of this policy.

That may be set to change in the next few months, but they'll need to act soon as Mr Dyke and the wider Guernsey Party are lining up to get rid of this policy, and if a requete does reach the States, I can't see many deputies voting it down.