Social housing flats approved for Ramsey

Thirty social housing flats have been unanimously approved for a brownfield site in Ramsey.

The development will replace a vacant plot that has sat empty for years and was previously home to sheltered housing and part of a primary school.

All the flats will be two-bedroom, let out by Ramsey Town Commissioners as public sector rentals to help cut its own housing waiting list.

Committee members said homes like these were "desperately needed" on the Island.

The development includes 45 parking spaces, below the usual policy requirement, but officers said this was acceptable given the site's central, walkable location next to Ramsey Bus Station.

One sycamore tree will be removed to make way for the development, with tree protection and landscaping conditions attached to the approval.

Officers said the development made good use of an existing brownfield site, and would not have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring properties, highway safety or flood risk.

It comes as housing has been cited as a "huge priority" ahead of the Island's general election on 24 September, with the majority of the 82 candidates naming it a top issue.

Homelessness charity Housing Matters says it is seeing higher numbers of "hidden homelessness," with people sleeping in vans rather than on the street.

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