New homes for the elderly

I shall put our name down for one of those
Just what we need...and in an area that is quiet close to the shops

looks like these are being built by the gha.so 75% of these will be allocated to people already in states housing.this will leave more family homes to be reallocated. can only be good for the housing stock and the waiting list

HOUSING is tearing down sound family homes so that bungalows for the
older tenants can be built in the wrong place, according to a former
estate agent and builder.
Pat Donaldson said he had visited the Mont Arrive estate, where 10
States houses are to make way for 15 Guernsey Housing Association
bungalows. ‘They are in good condition. There’s no cracks and the roofs
are good. It’s silly to knock them down. You would not pull down a
cottage just because of its age.’
But Housing minister Dave Jones said the 80-year-old homes had
reached the end of their useful life. Refurbishment would cost around
£100,000 and surveys showed a need for more one- and two-bedroom
properties for older tenants.
‘We need new housing that meets modern standards not only in terms
of living space, but which will also reduce the levels of energy needed
to heat and power these homes,’ said Deputy Jones.

It appears not everyone is happy with this scheme .What do you think ?

i think it is a brilliant idea.i wonder if pat donaldson has ever been in one of the houses in mont arrive.more smaller homes are needed for an ageing population.this way 75% of the new homes will be allocated to states tenants and the rest rented out from the gha waiting list.how can the area be wrong.there are buses,checkers,co-op longstore even a chippy across the road. there are already states owned properties in the estate for older people which are not being demolished . so imo this is the ideal place for these bungalows.

I must admit that with all the new builds and upgrades things are looking up (with Roseville aside) I was impressed with the new builds down at Victoria Avenue they look like they will help alleviate the problems with under occupancy in the rest of the stock and help others on the ladder.

Digger they will also reduce utility bills significantly, the barracks that used to be there were disgraceful and I could not wait for the day they were demolished. We have also refurbished a huge number of homes replacing the old boilers, installing central heating, re-wiring and re-roofing, upgrading drainage systems together with upgrading parking for residents, the Braye rd parking scheme finally came about after a lot of negotiations with the planners, when I first took over housing I was told Braye Rd would never happen, so you have to drive these things and look at the difference it has made to the lives of the residents of that row of housing. Our biggest problem is the number of voids we have at the moment and that is simply due to the lack of contractors who are available to get in there and do the work, however I suspect the downturn in the building industry will free up more contractors for States housing in the near future and we might be able to turn these empty properties arounf much quicker.

Dave Jones

Dave Jones wrote:Digger they will also reduce utility bills significantly, the barracks that used to be there were disgraceful and I could not wait for the day they were demolished. We have also refurbished a huge number of homes replacing the old boilers, installing central heating, re-wiring and re-roofing, upgrading drainage systems together with upgrading parking for residents, the Braye rd parking scheme finally came about after a lot of negotiations with the planners, when I first took over housing I was told Braye Rd would never happen, so you have to drive these things and look at the difference it has made to the lives of the residents of that row of housing. Our biggest problem is the number of voids we have at the moment and that is simply due to the lack of contractors who are available to get in there and do the work, however I suspect the downturn in the building industry will free up more contractors for States housing in the near future and we might be able to turn these empty properties arounf much quicker.

Dave Jones

Can someone do that for my old house (owned by myself and paid for with sweat a blood) but now unable to afford upgrades - I would be eternally grateful!!!!

I do feel sorry for you..we too have worked hard but will never own our home ....but we are very grateful for the states house we have.
But unlike you we have nothing to leave to our children ..
if we were in different circumstances we might have been able to afford one
this would have meant me working ,but i did not as hubby wanted me to remain home with the children
unfortunately i am now not able to work because of a disability so will never be able to afford the private sector but we would like to move into a smaller home ,so as to free a family house for a couple with children
this itself will be hard having lived in the same place for 52 years
I wish you well and hope one day you will be able to afford to upgrade your home as i know many like you who live like this and have the same problem .

Kat - thank you for your kind words.......yes it will be a big thing for you to move from a house you have been in for so long and I also wish you well in this!!! with myself - having got remarried to an Australian will probably just sell the house and use it to buy a property in Australia - and use my husbands house, rented out, to live on!!!! - and where you get double your money on everything and cost of living is much lower that Guernsey - surprisingly) We find the cost of living here prohibitive!!! I agree with you about working for a house - it was taken out of our hands at the age of 46 - we used to have live in jobs in Hotels etc., but then my mum lost her eyesight and we felt we had to buy something so she could be with us!!!! so out to work I went :0(((
BTW in 1960 the house I live in was bought by my parents for £5,000 - when dad died it was too large for mum - so she sold it in 1979 for £13,600 - when her eyesight went in 1987 it was back on the market for £77,000 and we bought it knowing that mum would know her way around!!!! so a lot of history there!!!!

i think it was lovely you bought the house that originally belonged to your parents so mum would know her way around.

it is such a shame as most the islanders works so hard and there are the few .i see them daily .they get up have a fag ,get ready then off to the pub for the day!
then they moan like billo when the states wont give them a decent rise in their money
i think it is about time all those on dole money or sup gets re assets again and this sould be done regular
i know of many who live in home that belong to them and are not entitiled to any money even though the place is a disgrace because they cannot afford to update or even heat the place
these are the elderly who have work them selves all their life doing many jobs to be able to afford to give their children something when they die
i might not be able to give my children anything when i die but i know i have been at home when they need me now .this was my choice .and one i am gratful to the states for;
as for buying the house your mum knows that was a very thoughtfull thing to do .bless you as i am sure it benifited her in so many ways

what about disabled housing theres never enough thats what we need too

i believe GHA are building flats designed for disability living .i agree we need more bungalows built for people with disabilities as well.

IMO flats and disabilities don't really go together

i know .would be interesting to have a look at them .