20 May 2008
The Minister for Planning and Environment has lodged a proposal to rezone eight sites around the Island in order to provide over 300 much needed life-long homes for older people.
The proposal follows a 3 month public consultation which was led by Deputy Anne Pryke , the Assistant Minister for Planning and Environment. It responds to a need for appropriate housing for older people identified by both the Connetables and the Minister for Housing and has been confirmed by the recent Housing Needs Survey which estimates that a pproximately 400 homes for older people are required over the next 5 years.
The sites outlined in the report have been carefully selected in partnership with the Connetables to ensure that they are close to parish amenities and facilities. Some first time buyer’s homes are also included following specific requests from the Connetables of Trinity and St Mary.
Deputy Pryke, who is responsible for all social housing matters within the Planning and Environment Department, stated ‘It is vitality important to maintain the life of parishes and I have worked with the Connetables to understand the needs of each parish. I have consulted with the Assistant Minister for Housing, Deputy Jackie Hilton, and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation who are specialists in the field of older peoples’ housing, to ensure that the size, design criteria and flexibility of the dwellings will mean that they are truly life-long homes which will meet the future needs of the Island’s ageing population’.
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