Deputy Dyke & six others - P.2024/11
The States are asked to decide:-
Whether, after consideration of the Requête entitled "Affordable Housing - GP11" dated the 5th February, 2024 they are of the opinion:
1. To agree that the absence of the availability, and reasonably foreseeable availability, of affordable housing to purchase constitutes an immediate and critical threat to Guernsey's economic and social well-being and that the preparation and adoption of policies and legislative measures to create the availability of such housing, as soon as possible, shall be prioritised above all other business of the States.
2. To note in particular that the requirement under Guernsey's planning legislation to have regard to the provisions of Policy GP11 (Affordable Housing) of the Island Development Plan is discouraging developers from developing larger sites with units of private housing with a resultant diminution of supply and to note that no site to which Policy GP11 applies or has been applied has ever been developed and no contributions of land have been made to the Guernsey Housing Association.
3. To agree -
(a) that Guernsey's planning legislation shall be amended in order to enable the States by Resolution to adopt such planning policies (to which, in the case of development plan amendments, the Development & Planning Authority shall have regard when determining any application for planning permission or outline planning permission) intended to encourage the provision of residential properties as they may think fit, without all or any of the current or prior procedures for amendments or replacements to development plans or the Strategic Land Use Plan including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing: public consultation, obtaining a certificate of consistency with the Strategic Land Use Plan and the holding of a public inquiry currently required by the planning laws, and
(b) that a Resolution of the type described in paragraph (a) may amend, suspend, delete, replace or add to any policy, direction or other provision in the Strategic Land Use Plan and any Development Plan, including the current IDP Policy GP11;
Provided that a Resolution may not extend to provisions relating generally to development requiring planning consent.
4. To agree that the preparation of such legislation is prioritized above the preparation of all other items of legislation which the States may have directed to be prepared.
5. To direct the preparation of such legislation as may be necessary to give effect to their above decisions
