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The Housing Department has announced where they will prioritise their capital spend next year.
The Housing Department has announced where they will prioritise their capital spend next year.
The department intends to go out to tender to the local construction industry on at least five projects in 2014, with a cumulative contract value in excess of £22m. These projects will include:
Nicolle Close – This project will include the refurbishment of 20 units with works consisting of new external wall cladding, a new roof and new windows and external doors. The project will also see the replacement of all of the mechanical ventilation within the properties. A further feasibility exercise is close to completion regarding incorporating more works within the project.
Hampshire Gardens - This project will include the refurbishment of 39 units with works consisting of new external wall cladding including the installation of brick slips at lower levels, a new roof and new windows and external doors. The project will also see the replacement of all kitchens and bathrooms, a full electrical rewire and a full internal decoration of the properties.
De Quetteville Court high rise - This project will include the full refurbishment of 32 high rise units with works including new external wall cladding, a new roof, and new windows and external doors. The project will also see the full internal refurbishment including all kitchens and bathrooms, a full electrical and mechanical installation, a full internal decoration of the properties and the internal communal areas.
Le Squez phase 3– This project will see the construction of 21 new homes:
These homes will be built to ‘Lifetime Homes Standard’. The project will also include the provision of separate communal parking areas and enhancements to the street elevations in School Road, St Clements. There will also be maximised amenity spaces in the form of back gardens for all of the properties.
Lesquende phase 2– This project will see the construction of 44 new units for social rented use:
Additionally there will be 71 parking spaces including visitor spaces, satellite installations, bin stores, bike stores and landscape amenity space. The estate layout is designed to minimise the visual impact of car parking and as a minimum, 10% of the site area will be designated ‘amenity space’ accessible to all residents and planned to be low maintenance.
Housing Minister, Deputy Andrew Green MBE, said: “We are all set for another extremely busy year in 2014, we are continuing our work to bring all of our stock up to Decent Homes Standard in the next 10 years and our Capital Projects Plan is an integral part of achieving that goal. The development of new social rented homes is also of vital importance and we have a number of projects being prepared that will assist in that area. We have already provided significant support to the local construction industry and our future programme will also provide valuable stimulus.”
The Treasury and Resources Minister, Senator Philip Ozouf, said: “I would like to extend my congratulations to the Housing Minister and his team on doing exactly what the Fiscal Policy Panel has asked which is to spend the money allocated to the development of homes. These projects provide much needed boost for social housing, while also giving a welcome boost to the construction industry.
“We are working with the industry to ensure that locally qualified, unemployed people are able to make the most of the job opportunities that these projects are creating. The Council of Ministers are pleased to be able to support the construction of new social housing which will improve the lives of many Islanders. If States Members approve the budget proposals on 3 December 2013, we will have certainty of the funding needed to deliver more of our stock development plans.”
The Minister for Treasury and Resources has proposed issuing a £250 million public rated bond for affordable housing purposes.
These include:
In addition to the above projects, rental income will be utilised to address the maintenance backlog which will bring all homes up to Decent Homes Standard within the next 10 years.
If the borrowing is approved on 3 December, this will give certainty to the future development of States’ social housing. The result will be that all existing stock will be brought up to a higher standard and maintained at that level and many more properties will be delivered to better meet Jersey’s housing needs.
