Efforts to build new homes on disused land near the Bridge will finally get moving later this year, with the possibility of the construction work starting in 2027, after the States agreed flood defence enabling work can happen at St Sampson’s Harbour.
The former Kenilworth Vinery site was renamed ‘Parc Le Lacheur’ when it was bought by the States for the Guernsey Housing Association.
The GHA plans to build around 150 homes there with civic and green spaces, as well as pedestrian and cycle paths connecting surrounding roads and housing developments with one another.
Sitting so close to Lowlands and the Braye du Valle, it is in a known flood risk zone – with the GHA saying it could not progress its plans for the site until the risk of rising sea levels and over-topping at the Bridge was mitigated.
The Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure has now agreed to start work on the concept design work for the planned flood defences, giving the GHA confidence to move forward.
Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at the GHA, Lisa de Kooker wants to get their planning application ready this year, with building work starting by mid-2027.
“We’re going to look to do a phased development as well to try and bring some parts forward as quickly as we can.
“I think, outline planning application (will be in) by the end of this year. I would hope that we can submit the planning application during 2026 and then actually start construction I’d like to think during mid-2027. And if we phase it we can start to bring different parcels forward quicker, rather than just looking at 150 units all in one go.”
None of the building work can start before the flood defence enabling work has been completed though, with Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez’s Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure giving that the go ahead.
“It’s really important, because, of course, this is a wonderful area, but it’s very low lying. There’s a small but significant risk of over topping at the quay, so it’s really important that if we are going to be developing homes in this area, and also to provide some protection for the homes and businesses that are already in that area, that we make sure that we mitigate that risk,” she explained.
“So this is an enabling a bit of infrastructure, and the enabling bit really refers to the fact that it means that this exciting development can go ahead.”
The enabling flood defence work for the Parc Le Lacheur site will also mitigate the flood risk on the Saltpans (the former Data Park site), which is also owned by the GHA, and has potential for over 300 homes. It also helps mitigate flood risk on the privately-owned Leale’s Yard site.
Retiring deputy, Peter Roffey said he is pleased that we are finally seeing all of these work streams coming to fruition.
“I’m really relieved,” he said. “I was involved in the purchase of this site for the GHA as part of HAG as it was back then and it’s been sort of stymied for a couple of years because of the flood risk, understandably.
“The fact that that’s now been overcome, means that it can go full steam ahead and make a really major in road into the need for affordable housing. I completely agree that it needs to be mixed tenure, we wouldn’t want 100 units of social rental, but there will be lot of affordable housing on this site. And I actually believe there’s going to be one of two or three really good news stories to come out fairly soon that will make a big difference to the provision of affordable housing.”