The States housing provider revealed on Friday that it had obtained the former Samares Nurseries site in St Clement.
Work is now due to commence shortly, with the first houses expected to be occupied as soon as next year.
The development will be financed by a loan of £47,183,000 from an existing £207m bond issued by the States and reserved for lending to Andium Homes. It will be paid off at a 5% interest rate over a period of 24 years set to expire in 2041.
In all, there will be 20 one-bedroom, 89 two-bedroom and 51 three-bedroom social rented houses and 40 three-bedroom houses for first time buyers. The latter 40 – offered under the Andium Homebuy scheme – will be discounted by around 25% of market value, selling at around £330,000.
Pictured: The Samarès Nurseries site set to make way for 200 new homes. (Google Maps)
The Samares Nurseries site acquisition is a major step forward for the scheme, which underwent 18 months of scrutiny due to significant opposition from local residents and St Clement Constable Len Norman. In a Planning Committee hearing, he blasted the development as a “disaster”, claiming that it would blight the area with significant traffic and cause flooding to gardens.
While the development was finally approved unanimously by the Committee in June, one member – Constable Philip Le Sueur – said that he did so “with a heavy heart.” “There is a need for housing on the Island, and if it doesn’t go here, where else can it go to provide this level of development without creating similar problems elsewhere?” he said.
Despite this, Andium say they have had strong interest from over 600 islanders into their Homebuy scheme – 120 of which made enquiries specifically relating to the Samares site.
“These 200 homes will make a significant contribution to the number of quality affordable homes available to Islanders to both rent and buy. I had the pleasure of attending the Andium Homebuy events in April and having seen so many families in a position to buy, I am pleased we are able to make this a reality for some of them. We hope to be in a position to help many more over the coming years,” Andium Chief Executive Ian Gallichan commented.
Deputy Anne Pryke, Minister for Housing, added: “Demand for affordable homes to rent and purchase remains high and I am delighted to see Andium Homes delivering another excellent scheme, which will complement the overall programme of work they are doing to provide 1,000 homes by 2020.”
