Outline housing development plans approved

Outline planning permission for a major new affordable and private housing development has been approved.

A total of 34 houses and 51 flats at the Mallard Complex, a four-screen cinema near Le Rondin School in Forest, were given unanimous approval with conditions by the Development & Planning Authority (DPA), following an open meeting.

A number of people spoke in favour of the development and against it at the meeting, with some concerns raised over the environmental impact and the affect on the neighbouring Le Rondin School.

Deputy Neil Inder, president of the DPA said: "The fact of the matter is that we need more affordable housing."

The States of Guernsey said as this application was for outline planning permission, the layout plan submitted and approved was only indicative.

Before any development could begin the applicant would need to submit a detailed planning application for approval by the DPA, which would be opened for further public consultation.

Inder said he was "entirely satisfied with the decision" and no application would be without its drawbacks.

He said: "This development could deliver 69 units of affordable housing. There aren't any other comparable sites that could do this in the immediate future."

Deputy Sasha Kazantseva-Miller, vice-president of the committee for housing, said she was "very pleased" with the outcome for a number of reasons.

"The need to build more affordable homes is the most pronounced," she said.

Yvonne Hodder, chairwoman of governors for the Specialist Schools Cluster, said she did not oppose development, but had previously raised concerns about potential disruption to the nearby school.

She said the decision was "what they expected", and given it would be a three-year building project they "know we will be inconvenienced".

"But if we can all continue to work together and keep the interests of the children at the forefront, I'm sure that will make a difference," she added.

Planning said it recognised the sensitivities of the school and would liaise to mitigate impacts.

The DPA agreed to amend one of the conditions of the approval, regarding the need for solar panels.

The developer must consult with relevant environmental groups to feature native planting schemes and also had a condition introduced to provide an additional layer of protection to a section of trees.

Inder said: "We're duty bound to ensure our children and older people have somewhere to live and we're building houses - that is single to Guernsey's drive this term and we've delivered on that today."

With outline permission in place said he expected to see the applicant move to the next step "at pace".

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