A Draft Development Framework has been prepared by the Planning Service for a potential residential development at the site referred to as the Belgrave Vinery, Vale Road, in the parish of St Sampson. This site largely comprises the Fontaine Vinery and part of the former Belgrave Vinery.
The majority of the site is States owned and therefore offers an opportunity for a mix of uses including a large proportion of affordable housing, as such the Policy & Resources Committee and the Committee for Employment & Social Security have partnered with the Guernsey Housing Association to develop the options for the site.
The Draft Development Framework has been prepared to provide planning guidance on how the site might be developed. The purpose of a Development Framework is to provide broad, comprehensive and practical guidance on how policies in the Island Development Plan (2016) will be applied to a site and includes a detailed appraisal of the site and the surrounding area.
The Belgrave Vinery site is designated as a Housing Allocation site in the Island Development Plan and comprises of an area with some temporary industrial uses, a cess pit emptying point for the Island, a former horticultural site with remaining spans of glass and a number of parcels of undeveloped land. The site covers an area of approximately 6.26 hectares (40.58 vergées).
In terms of density and housing numbers, the exact number of units achievable will depend on the detailed design response to the site analysis and guidelines contained in the Development Framework, and in particular how this addresses the range of constraints on development. However, in order to ensure land is used efficiently it is anticipated that the site would be able to accommodate a density range of 20-50 dwellings per hectare, which is approximately 125-313 dwellings on this site.
Previously, this site formed part of the larger Belgrave Vinery Housing Target Area and as such has been earmarked for housing development for several decades. The site is also largely considered as brownfield land due to the previous and current uses for commercial industrial and storage purposes.
The Development & Planning Authority is now inviting comments on this Draft Development Framework by email at planning@gov.gg or in writing to the Authority over the next eight weeks until 11 February 2021.
Following consultation, the comments received together with the final Draft Development Framework will then be considered by the Development & Planning Authority. If approved by the Authority, the Development Framework will become Supplementary Planning Guidance and will be taken into account when considering development proposals for the site.
Deputy Victoria Oliver, President of the Development & Planning Authority, said: “Many in the community will have known that this site is one the States views as key in addressing some of the island’s affordable housing needs, but in order to determine what kind of development would be appropriate here this draft development framework will need to be finalised. We’re keen for Islanders to submit their views before the February deadline”.
The Draft Development Framework can be accessed via the States of Guernsey website here.
All responses and comments should be received by 5pm on Thursday 11th February, 2021.
