Ministers face developers over plans to force them to build affordable homes

Monday 25 January 2016

Ministers are due to face the Island’s biggest developers tomorrow at an event about plans to revive a scrapped policy that would force them to build affordable homes or pay cash towards new cheap developments.

The head of the Jersey Construction Council has called the plans a “stealth tax” and says that it could slow the building industry’s recovery from the recession.

Environment Minister Steve Luce and Housing Minister Anne Pryke – who are both working on the new Housing Strategy – are due to speak at the industry debate, along with Construction Council chairman Martin Holmes and a UK expert on similar developer levy schemes.

The event – which takes place at the Radisson Blu tomorrow morning and which is sponsored by law firm Benest and Syvret – will hear from David Parker, the chairman of Pioneer Property Services, a firm of consultants and experts on the Community Infrastructure Levy.

The CIL scheme in the UK requires developers to hand over funds that can be used for anything from road schemes to park improvements, or schools to flood defences.

Mr Holmes – a Director at Garenne Group as well as head of the industry body – said that the construction sector had concerns about the planned Housing Strategy.

He said: “We are at the start of an important era for both the construction industry and its positive impact on housing provision and employment in Jersey.

“This new strategy looks as though it may well affect the industry at a time of recovery from recession.

“In simple terms it could well amount to more taxes on property; a stealth tax to meet promises government is struggling to fund.

“Given the gravity of this topic we expect a lively and well informed debate from the panel which includes the Environment Minister, Steve Luce and Housing Minister, Anne Pryke and David Parker, a UK based expert on housing and the UK CIL scheme.”