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STATES OF JERSEY
ISLAND PLAN 2011: APPROVAL (P.48/2011): TWENTY-SEVENTH AMENDMENT (P.48/2011 Amd.(27)) – COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 20th June 2011 by the Minister for Housing
STATES GREFFE
2011 Price code: A P.48 Amd.(27)Com.
COMMENTS
This amendment suggests withdrawing Section 6 of the Draft Island Plan to allow time for a new Section to be written based on revised information arising from the 2011 Census.
The issue of housing demand and the need for affordable (including social) housing has been an issue of much debate for some time. It is a difficult topic to grasp given that it reflects demographic changes in our society, the changing hopes and aspirations of individuals, the availability of finance and our property market, which has of course been affected by global economic challenges.
The Draft Island Plan uses information on housing needs gathered by the Statistics Unit in 2007 in its Housing Needs Survey. The underlying need for affordable housing identified by the Survey is, I believe, still largely valid. However, the economic situation will have resulted in a significant shift in tenure requirements away from First-Time Buyer and Jersey Homebuy in favour of social rented housing.
The need for Affordable Housing and Social Rented Housing in particular is significant. There has been scant supply since 2007, despite a round of rezoning in 2008 (P.75/2008). Only one site zoned in 2008 has been delivered. The lack of supply is creating real hardship, right now and what we do not need at this juncture is more delay.
This Island Plan including Section 6 needs to be approved and developers encouraged to produce the homes we need. If emerging information from the Census, future Housing Needs Surveys or other sources such as the Affordable Housing Gateway being established as part of my Housing Transformation Programme suggest that there is a greater need then the plan can always be brought back for revision.
I will not be supporting this amendment.
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P.48/2011 Amd.(27)Com.