Delivery of affordable housing

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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOUSING BY DEPUTY R.J. RONDEL OF ST. HELIER

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 15th JANUARY 2013

Question

Would the Minister advise the Assembly how many, if any, new homes have been delivered in 2012 and how many will be delivered as 'affordable housing' for purchase in 2013 and 2014 and on which sites?

Answer

As I have said on previous occasions the delivery of new homes, including affordable homes is not something I can control. The supply of homes is controlled by the Minister for Planning & Environment and his Department under the policies set out in the Island Plan. Delivery is carefully monitored and reported on annually by the Department of the Environment in its report on Residential Land Availability.

As the Department of the Environment is responsible for this very comprehensive and detailed report, I would suggest that the Planning Minister is the most appropriate point of reference for questions of this kind in the future. However, on this occasion, I am pleased to be able to provide the information requested and would like to record my thanks to the Planning Minister and his officers for providing the data which they will ultimately publish in the aforementioned report. According to the Department of the Environment data 48 properties reserved for purchase by first time buyers were completed in 2012 and there is potential for an additional 51 homes in the next 5 years. Tables showing the sites and the numbers of homes thereon are set out below.

I have been drawing attention to the lack of affordable housing supply for some considerable time and wrote to the Planning Minister in December 2012 commenting on that and offering some suggestions (I have not as yet had a reply). I myself have been doing all that I can as Housing Minister to develop available sites in my control, specifically:-

94 new homes have been delivered in the past 18 months - 34 at Salisbury Crescent and 60 at phase 2a & 2b Le Squez

Work on 113 new homes which will commence this month - 24 at Le Squez phase 2c, 80 at Langtry Gardens and 9 at Journeaux Court

Contracts for a further 58 new homes will be entered into in 2013 – 35 at Lesquende and 23 at the former Le Coin site in Ann Street

As sites are made available to me through the Planning system, at least another 500 social and affordable homes can be delivered by the social sector

In respect of the social housing sector overall I think it is important to acknowledge the very important role played by our Housing Trusts some of whom are keen to develop more homes where sites are available, or to acquire homes produced by developers as part of their planning obligation requirements.

Table 1

Schedule of purpose built first time buyer housing completions 2012

Table 2

Schedule of known completions due for first-time buyer housing, by type, in the next 5 years