The Guernsey Housing Plan sets out a prioritised plan of action and the steps government will take to tackle Guernsey's significant housing pressures.
The overarching vision of the Guernsey Housing Plan is that:
"All people living in Guernsey will have access to a range of good quality housing that is affordable, secure, energy efficient and adequate for their needs."
It sets out a consolidated plan of action to deliver change and improvements in what is arguably one of the most pressing domestic challenges facing Guernsey.
To understand the scale of the problem and to inform the actions to be taken, the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure carried out two pieces of research. The first was the Housing Needs Modelling, which outlines the number of accommodation units the Island requires to ensure housing needs are met. The second piece of research was a study of Guernsey's housing market by housing market specialists arc4 Limited. The two reports from arc4 Limited are available in the downloads section.
Following this research, six Priority Areas of action have been outlined in the Plan. Under each area, there are a list of actions which have been prioritised. Click on each Priority Area to see the actions within it.
Affordable housing delivery
- 1A: Affordable Housing Development Programme
- 1B: Establish certainty over Policy GP11
- 1C: Explore options for private institutional/ethical investment in Affordable Housing
- 1D: Consider opportunities to use modular construction
- 1E: Review of Partial Owernship scheme including, as a minimum, percentage of equity levels and rent-setting structure
Private market supply
- 2A: Investigate incentives and penalties (alongside and additional to those already cited in the 2023 Budget Report) to encourage the completion of private market developments. Set the approach and timescales to implementation
- 2B: Establish the potential for Build to Rent, including Affordable Private Rent and potential incentives
- 2C: Investigate the viability of establishing a States-owned delivery vehicle for housing developments
- 2D: Develop enhanced TRP tariff proposals for derelict land, greenhouse sites and unoccupied buildings (to be reported on in 2024 Budget)
- 2E: Develop a mechanism to charge enhanced TRP tariffs for buildings and sites which have planning permission but the development has not been completed within three years (to be reported on in 2024 Budget)
- 2F: Consider issues and options regarding 'room-to-let' tax free allowance
- 2G: Open Market Part A Inscriptions Policy
Private rental sector
- 3A: Implement prioritised Ordinances in the General Housing Law
- 3B: Develop further proposals to strengthen the rights and obligations of private landlords and tenants
- 3C: Further investigation of rent stabilisation mechanism and review of Rent Control
- 3D: Introduce a statutory deposit protection scheme for the Private Rental Sector
Market niches (including key worker, first time buyers, homelessness)
- 4A: Better understand the barriers that prevent rightsizing and develop an approach in response
- 4B: Define 'homelessness', quantify the scale of homelessness in Guernsey and support the Guernsey Community Foundation in developing proposals to support those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
- 4C: Explore new models for older people's housing that enable people to live well at home for longer
- 4D: Explore non-supply options to improve access to the private market for first time buyers and enablement of second stage moves
- 4E: Establish a definition(s) of 'key worker' and consider government's approach to supporting their housing needs in the medium to long term
Quality and energy efficiency
- 5A: Explore and implement options to increase the standards and energy efficiency of existing and future housing stock
- 5B: Explore funding, support and delivery options to enable homeowners/landlords to make property improvements and/or home adaptations relating to energy efficiency
- 5C: Explore funding, support and delivery options to enable homeowners/landlords to make property improvements and/or home adaptations relating to physical wellbeing
Data and evidence
- 6A: Run the housing needs model annually to monitor SSHI requirements
- 6B: Develop housing needs model to include Key Worker Housing and specialised housing requirements, for consideration as part of the States Strategic Housing Indicator
- 6C: Undertake a stock condition survey to understand the nature and scale of the issues and their wider impact
- 6D: Undertake a household survey to understand households' current position, challenges, and aspirations
The full Guernsey Housing Plan is available in the downloads section and includes research into Guernsey's housing position, further explanation of the actions and a timetable for delivery.
