Islanders moving away due to housing shortage

Some people in Guernsey are considering leaving the island because of the difficulties finding affordable housing.

New figures show that in 2022, 16 affordable homes were built in Guernsey, and 181 private units.

Senior States members have said they're "disappointed" in the small number of affordable houses built last year.

Marite Juskevica said "rents are too high" and there are no suitably priced properties for her to buy.

She said: "We are renting at the moment and it's very expensive, we both have good jobs, but because we are renting we are struggling to save up for a deposit.

"We're actually looking to move away, because it's quite difficult."

The politician with responsibility for social housing Deputy Peter Roffey branded the lack of affordable house building recently as a "significant failure."

He said: "It is deeply disappointing that only 16 additional homes were added to Guernsey affordable housing stock in 2022."

Danielle Priaulx, 26, has been on the waiting list for affordable housing with the Guernsey Housing Association (GHA) for four years, and has been told she now doesn't qualify for a property.

"They've let us down and told us that because my partner does overtime, we earn too much for a GHA property.

"I feel a bit stuck in the middle - sad and deflated.

"I feel a bit let down by the States. We work hard, have paid in all we should, but we feel disappointed that there isn't a lot of support for young people trying to get on the property ladder."

Guernsey's States describes affordable housing as "property that's reserved for certain groups of people who can't afford to rent or buy property on the private market."

It includes houses owned by the GHA, including their partial ownership properties.

Since Mr Roffey became President of Employment and Social Security in 2020, he has warned the lack of site buying for the GHA in recent years would lead to issues with the number of houses built.

"The good news is that my committee, together with the Housing Action Group, acted quickly to acquire several such sites for future development.

"However that does nothing to hide the fact that the failure to provide a proper conveyor belt of available sites will have led to a two to three year pause in new affordable housing coming on line, just when our community needed it most.

"This was a significant strategic failure and one which must never be allowed to occur again."

Chef Brit Olival has lived in Guernsey for 13 years and rents a room in shared accommodation.

He's struggled to find accommodation because of a lack of available properties.

"I just use my room to sleep, it doesn't bring me a lot of joy. I work so hard and when I go home I just want to sleep as there's nothing to do in my house, as I just live in a room."

"I can't afford to buy a house here, renting is expensive enough."

In 2023 the States approved a goal to build about 300 new homes a year for the next five years.

The new States Strategic Housing Indicator sets out how many properties are needed on the island.

It has been set at 1,565 new units of accommodation between 2023 and 2027.

The number of open market properties, often used for staff accommodation, has remained around 1,600 in recent years.

Andrew Pinsard is another Guernseyman leaving the island because of the cost of housing.

"It's much easier to buy a bigger better house than I could afford in the UK.

"The cost of living in Guernsey is now totally out of control, with houses the prices they are, it's much easier to buy a house in the UK."

At May's States meeting Mr Roffey told States members there are currently seven projects set to be built on to provide new affordable housing in the next few years.

Fourteen new properties are earmarked for La Vieille Plage, which will cater for adults with learning disabilities.

The project to build at Fontaine Vinery in St Sampson's, including the Duval Vinery is expected to deliver 133 new social rental, partial ownership, key worker and specialised houses - but plans for the site haven't been published yet.

Kenilworth Vinery was bought by the States in November 2021 for £6.5m and has been earmarked for 131 new properties.

The GHA wants to build 54 flats for key workers at the Domaine des Moulins, formerly CI Tyres in the Charroterie.

ESS has also announced it is currently in negotiations for a new site for 50 new properties for key workers at the hospital.

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