Guernsey Election 2020: Affordable housing

Affordable housing availability in Guernsey is a key issue identified by islanders in the general election.

According to the States, affordable housing is defined as being for people who cannot afford or have their needs met by the private market.

Official figures from 2019 show 47% of income is spent on rent on average, while the average cost of a property was £460,000 in June 2020.

Plans for mandatory affordable housing were watered down in 2016.

As part of our election coverage, the BBC offered all candidates a chance to comment on a key issue.

On housing, the candidates were asked: Should the States be investing in the construction of affordable housing? If so where should that development take place?

The Alliance Party responded: "Yes, but not on green space in the north.

"The population balance is too concentrated in the north.

"Brown field sites and derelict glass areas should be investigated."

Nigel Chescoe, from The Guernsey Partnership of Independents, said: "The States of Guernsey has already handed this responsibility to the Guernsey Housing Association (GHA) and has assisted it to provide this function.

"Finding new housing sites in brownfield locations is difficult and costly.

"They should be evenly dispersed around the island to keep communities in place."

Simon Fairclough said: "An unequivocal yes.

"Not a single unit has been built this States term, despite a costly housing review.

"This is partly down to an Island Development Plan (IDP) which is failing us.

"We should be looking to build new energy efficient homes on brownfield sites e.g. Leale's Yard."

Peter Roffey said: "Yes. The lack of affordable housing risks hugely aggravating both our economic and demographic problems by forcing young people off island in order to afford a home.

"New social housing should go both on brownfield sites and the sites of existing, outdated social housing, like Les Genats, through phased development."

Victoria Oliver said: "No, States should be enabling.

"IDP needs reviewing, need to build on brownfield and allocated spaces before greenfield.

"Another option is to go up in a controlled and sensible manner.

"The States should be helping first-time buyers get on the property ladder, through saving schemes, help to buy schemes and updating the purchasing system."

Tory Russell, from The Guernsey Party, said: "The GHA has done a fantastic job for the first-time buyers and must be helped to do more.

"A suite of additional schemes such as a Deposit Loan Scheme and a Freehold/Leasehold Scheme would greatly widen the reach of the GHA offering and the siting of homes should be in their remit as per the IDP."

Mark Dorey, from The Guernsey Partnership of Independents, said: "Yes, the GHA should be supported in building partial ownership accommodation as this property will always remain in the affordable housing sector.

"Mainly in the built-up areas of St Peter Port and the Bridge e.g. Leale's Yard and the former education offices in the Grange. Also, the King Edward VII site."

The BBC also offered the opportunity to answer this question to Sarah Breton, Richard Skipper, John Gollop, Jenny Tasker, Marc Leadbeater, and Lindsay De Sausmarez from The Guernsey Partnership of Independents.

The other key issues we've spoken to candidates on include: