Hopes for building contract for housing scheme

A development company says it hopes to agree a building contract by the end of May for homes to be built on the site of a former planning office in Jersey.

The Jersey Development Company (JDC) previously submitted amendments to a planning application to transform the office building on South Hill into 139 flats on a development called Westward near the Waterfront, with 35 for first-time buyers through shared equity.

Minister for Treasury and Resources Elaine Millar was asked for an update on the site by deputy Alex Curtis.

In response, Millar said the JDC, the government regeneration arm, had secured reservations on 31 apartments for a total value of £21.49m.

The response said the reservations were in legal hands for the formalising of the pre-sale contracts and, assuming all reservations converted to formal pre-sale contracts, the total value of pre-sales met the requirement for construction to commence.

It also said the JDC aimed to enter into the construction contract by the end of May.

Under the shared equity scheme, buyers would purchase 75% of the property, and Jersey Development Company kept the remaining 25%, it added.

The plans for the scheme were turned down in 2023 and approved the following year by the government.

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