Latest news with #KarlGuille
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Guernsey politicians to decide fate of plans for new roads
The fate of new roads in northern Guernsey will soon be decided by States will host an open planning meeting "in due course" to consider 19 representations for new routes in St Sampson.A total of 64% of the proposed new housing planned across the island for the period 2025 to 2030 are set to be built in the north, according to St Sampson Douzainier Karl said they would consider the representations before preparing a final report and recommendations. Building up to 190 homes has been suggested for the Saltpans site off Route Militaire, which is one of four in the area set aside for housing plans include roads, pavements, cycle lanes and bus stops at the area which previously had plans for the building of a data States property unit said the cost for the outline planning application is being included in a larger piece of work which had cost about £118,000 to in the north of Guernsey previously raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure ahead of new building projects, saying too many have been planned for their Guille said: "There is some logic to building in the north because that's where the infrastructure is and that's where the amenities are."But we're talking at the moment about up to 1,300 new properties in the longer-term just in the area of the Braye du Val."That's an awful lot."
BBC News
30-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Frustration over housing plans in north of Guernsey
Residents in the north of Guernsey have raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure ahead of new building projects, saying too many have been planned for their area.A total of 64% of the proposed 1,079 new dwellings planned in the island for the period 2025 to 2030 are set to be built in the north, according to St Sampson Douzainier Karl Adrian Gabriel, president of Environment & Infrastructure, said he was "pleased" residents were making their views known, and improving infrastructure in the area would "ease pressure" on the residents have told the BBC they feel "frustrated" and that some of the plans are "ridiculous". Mr Guille met with a number of Saltpans residents to hear their thoughts about developments planned for the area."There is some logic to building in the north because that's where the infrastructure is and that's where the amenities are," he explained."But we're talking at the moment about up to 1,300 new properties in the longer-term just in the area of the Braye du Val. "That's an awful lot."He said the planned work would exceed the capabilities of the infrastructure in the area and posed a flood risk."I think all that St Sampson is asking for is that the total number of properties is shared more equally across the island and I don't really think that's too much to be asking." Gabriel said while there were "a number of significant sites allocated for housing in the north of the island", planning the right infrastructure, like footpaths and cycle paths, was part of the process."Enabling the development of housing is a top priority for the States of Guernsey, and, collectively, we are taking an active role in facilitating new homes coming forward at the earliest opportunity."He added: "This is just one piece of a much larger puzzle that should, when complete, enable different sites to be well connected as they come forward for development, with further enhancements expected in the future. "This is especially true following the States' purchase of Leale's Yard." 'What planet?' Margaret and John Helyar have been residents of the Saltpans area since the 1980s. They said the proposal for a new road coming through the estate, and the height of new homes, worried them most."Some of the houses that are being proposed are four and five storeys," Ms Helyar said. "They're going to completely dominate the other houses, and we'll have no view across the site at all."It just seems to be just packing them in for the sake of it. And we're told it won't make much difference to the traffic. I mean, what sort of planet do these people live on?" She said residents did not feel their concerns were being heard."We've complained over the years, not just us personally, but everyone in the area. And it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever. "We feel frustrated that we feel that we don't get listened to." Peter de Garis said the opinions of people living in the north were not given the same weight as in the rest of the island."People couldn't care less about the north of the island. "You know, if there's any development proposed at St Peter's or Castel, it's 'oh no, we don't want this, we don't want that'. That's all listened to and taken into account by the planners. "But the north? No, let's just get more and more and more houses in the north. That's fine."
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guernsey States urged to act on concerns over housing plans
A parish has called on the States to act over concerns about the impact of plans to build more than 1,000 new homes over the next six new homes would be built in St Sampson's in Guernsey under the Island Development Plan's (IDA) spatial strategy, alongside plans for 89 new homes in St Sampson's Parish Douzaine said that while concessions had been made in relation to the Vazon plans, the Development and Planning Authority (DPA) had failed to act on concerns about the impact on infrastructure in their parish, including a rise in traffic volumes of as much as 50%.The DPA has been approached for comment. Karl Guille, from St Sampson's Parish Douzaine, said they had "been on the back foot" since the IDA was introduced in 2011, putting "the majority of new housing in our parish"."We are concerned that our infrastructure simply can't cope with the level of development that is being proposed," he said it was "somewhat ironic" that the Development and Planning Authority chose to recognise road safety, traffic management and other concerns raised around the planned development of 89 new homes in Vazon "when it continues to promote over 1,000 new houses in the north of the island".Guille said several road junctions were already operating over capacity and traffic volumes there were more than twice the levels seen in the west and south of the a statement issued in response to the plans, the Douzaine said it was disappointed there had not been a review to the spatial strategy to allow the "burden of development to be shared more widely".The 1,000 new homes represented 64% of the island's allocation, they added. 'Concerns largely ignored' The parish's junior constable Joe Abbotts said it was a shame concerns continually highlighted by the parish and traffic consultants in 2010 and in 2012 "have largely been ignored". "Central to those concerns is the cumulative impact such developments will have on existing roads infrastructure resulting in numerous junctions operating above capacity with significant queuing," he have also been expressed about the increased flood risk if large numbers of housing were to be built on low lying land such as in the Braye du Valle and about the impact on existing public utility infrastructure. St Sampson's Douzaine said while it appreciated that demand for housing, and especially affordable housing, was becoming increasingly urgent, the new housing would cause a "significant increase" in demand on "already constrained roads and public utility infrastructure".Parishioners of St Sampson were also "rightly concerned about the potential depreciation in the value of their homes and the deterioration in the quality of life that could arise living in such highly developed areas", the spokesperson spatial strategy prioritises housing development in and around the edges of the urban centres of St Peter Port and St Sampson and Vale. 'Extremely disappointed' A spokesperson for St Sampson's Douzaine said they were "extremely disappointed the States had not taken the opportunity to review the strategy to allow the burden of development to be shared more widely".They said some of the latest proposed amendments to the draft plan were sensible in seeking to concentrate future developments on brownfield or redundant glasshouse sites and creating some limited additional housing sites in the west and south of the these amendments "do not go anywhere near far enough in the opinion of St Sampson's Douzaine to allay existing concerns over the anticipated impact that such high levels of continued development will have on the north of the Island", they added.
