One-bedroom homes are States loss maker

Friday 16th May 2008, 2:54PM BST.

SHELTERED housing at Belle Vue, Les Quennevais, is likely to comprise 69 two-bedroom homes after a report revealed that one-bedroom dwellings would create a loss of £640,000 to the public purse.

Assistant Chief Minister John Le Fondré said that following valuations, he found out that a development with one-bedroom homes would result in a loss of around £640,000, whereas a development of two-bedroom homes would make between £2.3 million and £2.8 million.

He said that the key issue had been to balance the social need and financial impact to the public.

‘The results of the housing needs survey would indicate a preference for two-bedroom,’ he said. ‘Based on high-level indicative schemes, the one-bedroom scheme produced a negative residual value of £640,000 whereas the two-bedroom options produced a positive range of between £2.3 million and £2.8 million – a better return to the public.’

Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.