Future supply of sufficient family homes and the provision of 3 bedroom houses.

1240/5(3084)

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY, 7th NOVEMBER 2006

Question

1. Followingtherecent publication of figures in the United Kingdomshowing the significantfallin the number of 3 bedroom houses beingbuilt in the last ten years,and the large increase in the numberof 1 and 2 bedroom flats being built, would Minister inform members whether hehasavailable the equivalent figures over the past decadefor Jersey in –

( i)  the private sector, and

( ii ) the States sector

b o th for rental and purchase?

2. Whatsteps,if any, is the Minister planning to take to ensure that sufficient family homes are built in Jersey in the future?
3. Would the Minister further inform membersofthe current projected figures his Departmentisworking with for building in the above categories overthecoming 5 year period?

Answer

1. Data relating to housing construction in Jersey is calculated in a different way and the figures are not directly comparable.

T o tal completions by Sector for the period are set out in Table 1.

T h ere are available annual net figures for Category A home completions since 2002 (when the Island Plan

was adopted), by size, as set out in Table 2.

I n formation on home completions since 2005, by Size and Type, is set out in Table 3. The Category B figures

for this table are derived from application descriptions, which, in many cases, do not specify dwelling size and/or type.

2. The Island Plan is the main instrument for addressinghousingrequirements. It makes provision for the development of homesby providing the market with opportunities to undertake residential development through the use of enabling planning policies. In the case of land that is specifically identified for the purposes ofmeeting the particular areasof the Island'shousing need in the Island Plan the Minister for Planning and Environment is able to exercise control over the type ofaccommodationprovided. This is enabled through the useofdevelopment briefs. Outsideof this mechanism,the nature ofhomes that are developed is largely market-lead.

T  he Island Plan is shortly to be reviewed. It is anticipated that the supply required for new homes in the

qualified sector' will come from a range of sources, including –

la n d al ready rezoned for Category A homes;

s u itable sites among those listed in IP policies H3 and H4;

o th e r s uitable sites to emerge from consultations with parishes; r e development / upgrading of outworn housing estates;

o p portunities at the Waterfront;

o p portunities presented by town regeneration;

w  indfall developments elsewhere in the built-up area; and c o nversions and changes of use elsewhere.

T h e requirement figures and supply of new homes are monitored and up-dated through the Housing Needs

Survey and Planning for Homes. The Housing Needs Survey is conducted by the States Statistics Unit on behalf of Planning and Environment and Housing departments. It enables projected requirements to be established for a range of alternative future scenarios, based on different housing qualification periods and varying migration levels. Planning for Homes is an annual review of housing land availability prepared jointly by the Housing and Planning Departments, in consultation with the Population Office, the Statistics Unit and several leading local estate agents.

T he evidence from Planning for Homes 2006, to be released in a few weeks, suggests that projected

requirements for 3-bedroom family homes for the 5-year period up to the end of 2009 are likely to be met by recent completions and outstanding commitments in the form of development permissions. There may be some shortfall in the supply of larger 4- and 5-bedroom family homes which will be addressed through a variety of measures. Most particularly it is anticipated that these shortfalls could be addressed in part by the provision of sites for sheltered / last time homes'. This will enable the increasing numbers of people above retirement age to downsize to accommodation which is more suited to their needs and, in doing so, release larger properties, potentially suitable for accommodating the needs of families, back onto the market.

T h e Minister for Planning and Environment is also working with the Minister for Housing in looking at ways

to promote shared equity housing, to help many islanders realise their aspirations to own their own homes.

T h e Minister for Planning and Environment has also reviewed Supplementary Planning Guidance relating to

the design of homes. Whilst this supplementary guidance covers many aspects of the design of homes and relates to all types of homes, it seeks to ensure that new homes are built to minimum standards that adequately meet the requirements of future residents – including families. The Minister is keen to adopt and publish the guidance to give effect to these new standards: the matter is presently the subject of review by the Environment Scrutiny Panel and the Minister is committed to working with the Panel to expedite progress. The Minister is committed to ensuring that all future homes are adequately sized, have adequate space about and are designed to appropriate lifetime standards.

3. The current projected requirement figures for homesofvarioustenures,typesand sizes arebasedonthose provided in the Statistics Unit report entitled: Jersey Housing Requirements2005-2009:Reportonthe2004 Housing NeedsSurvey'.

R e quirement figures will be included in the Planning for Homes 2006 report. These will allow for alternative

future scenarios based on different housing qualification periods and varying migration levels.

Table 1:  Net Annual Completions of Homes (qualified) by Sector, 1996 to end June 2006.

Completed Homes (net)

Year Purpose built Purpose built Purpose built Other Demand Total First-time Social Rented Category A Housing Completions

Buyer Homes Homes Completions (Category B)

1996 15 70 85 224 309

1997 12 (137) (125) 142 17

1998 - 51 51 186 237

1999 79 78 157 240 397

2000 - 60 60 312 372

2001 59 26 85 367 452 Sub-total 165 148 313 1471 1784

2002 22 300 392 493 885

2003 161 109 270 389 659

2004 52 (36) 16 343 359

2005 18 29 47 497 544 First half 47 34 81 167 248

2006

Sub-total 370 436 806 1889 2695 TOTAL 535 584 1119 3360 4479

Table 2:  Net Annual Category A Housing Completions since 2002, by Size.

Year Unit Size Total 1-bed 2-bed 3-bed 4-bed 5-bed

SOCIAL RENTED

2002 163 60 74 3 300

2003 32 59 12 3 3 109

2004 (1) (12) (23) (36)

2005 14 9 6 29 First half 39 20 (21) (4) 34

2006

Sub-total 247 136 48 2 3 436 FIRST-TIME BUYER

2002 1 91 92

2003 33 92 26 10 161

2004 41 11 52

2005 14 4 18 First half 47 47

2006

Sub-total 33 93 219 25 - 370 CATEGORY A

2002 163 61 165 3 392

2003 65 151 38 13 3 270

2004 (1) (12) 18 11 16

2005 14 9 20 4 47 First half 39 20 26 (4) 81

2006

TOTAL 280 229 267 27 3 806

Table 3:  Completions of Qualified Homes (Gross), by Type and Size, 2005 and first half   2 0 0 6 .  

Type of Home Size of Home Total

1-bed 2-bed 3-bed 4-bed 5-bed Unspecified

+ Size

Category B Completions

Flats *1 253 56 2 - - 119 430

Houses *2 8 19 53 43 2 115 240

Retirement Homes

- Apartments

- Cottages

Unspecified 11 9 3 48 71 Dwellings / Units

Sub-Total 272 84 58 43 2 282 741 Category A Completions

Flats *1 71 43 9 123 Houses *2 1 80 4 85

Retirement Homes

- Apartments

- Cottages 9 9

Unspecified

Dwellings / Units

Sub-Total 80 44 89 4 217 TOTAL 352 128 147 47 2 282 958

* These are gross figures and take no account of the units lost in redevelopment / conversion schemes *1 includes apartments, studios, bedsits and maisonettes *2 includes bungalows and cottages