Govt launches Westview residential project with plans for over 2,000 new homes

The Gibraltar Government has launched the Westview residential project, which will deliver a total of 2,162 new homes on newly reclaimed land with construction scheduled to start on site in late summer 2027.

The Government said this housing project will be delivered through a phased construction programme designed to allow delivery of the apartments in a phased manner while also ensuring that the necessary infrastructure and public spaces are integrated into the development.

The entire residential project will deliver a total of 1,452 affordable housing units and 712 pensioner rental and purchased units, bringing the total number of homes to 2,162 units and the whole scheme is expected to be completed over a period of 8 years.

The overall project will be divided into two main phases, one on the northern half and one on the southern half of the reclaimed land.

Work will commence on the northern half first which will deliver a total of 1,260 units, divided into 548 affordable homes and 712 pensioner flats.

The statement added the affordable housing units will be to the same standard as the latest estates delivered by Government and will be comprised of a mix of two, three and four bedroom apartments, with the three bedroom configuration being the predominant one.

“The pensioner flats will be of the same standard as those recently delivered at Chatham Views and comprise a mix of rental and purchased units,” the Government said.

“This northern phase will be split into two separate contracts, one for the affordable housing units and the other for the elderly units.”

“The phase is programmed to be completed in its totality over a five year construction period.”

The statement added that both contracts will proceed concurrently and be structured in such a way that will see the various blocks handed over in a phased manner.

This approach, the Government said, will enable purchasers to start taking possession of their new homes as the phases progress without having to wait for the completion of the full scheme.
The southern phase will see the delivery of the remaining 904 affordable housing units and similar approach will be adopted for the construction of these units as for the northern phase in terms of contracts and phased delivery.

The Government said this phase is expected to take five years to complete and the start of construction will overlap with the northern phase.

“This development will help us tackle the pressure on the Government rental waiting list by providing new homes for pensioners, allowing larger properties to become available for families who need them,” Minister for Housing, Pat Orfila, said.

“It is important that our older residents have the opportunity to move into accommodation that is better suited to their needs, both now and as those needs change in the future.”
“We have already made progress in this area through the delivery of new pensioner accommodation and initiatives such as our Rent and Repair Scheme, and the recent delivery of Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Mews.”

“The delivery of 712 new pensioner flats at the Westview Reclamation is an unprecedented investment in this generation and those of the future, and will offer more people and families the opportunity to find a home that is right for them at every stage of their lives.”

The housing project will be complemented by the construction of a public seafront promenade along the perimeter of the reclamation.

This will also incorporate a two-way cycle lane, service road and planted areas.

In addition, a new public park will be built at the south east corner of the reclaimed land.

Its construction will begin whilst the first phase of the affordable housing units is under construction and will be completed in 18 months from starting on site.

The Government said this will deliver a large landscaped, recreational space that will include two children’s playgrounds, adult exercise equipment, a water feature, green areas and a dog park.

The project has been met with concern by some residents of the Westview area, which formed part of a demonstration last Saturday, that was also against pollution and the data centre project.

“Every generation of Gibraltarians has a responsibility to think about the generation that follows it,” Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said.

“The demand for affordable housing is real, and we cannot simply ignore the need to provide homes for our children, our young families and our pensioners. This Government has a proud record of delivering affordable homes, and we are doubling down on that with this major investment in our future.”

“Since taking office in 2011, our Government has delivered 1,742 affordable homes, with more coming through Bob Peliza Mews and now this major new development at Westview will provide almost twice the number that we have already delivered.”

Mr Picardo added that these are homes for working people, for families, and for pensioners.

“That is what our affordable housing programme has always been about,” he said.

“I know that residents living closest to the proposed development have concerns about the changes that it will bring to their area. Those concerns deserve to be heard and addressed, and we must ensure that the impact on the existing community is properly considered as the project progresses.”

“But we must also recognise the wider responsibility we have to Gibraltar as a whole. We cannot allow the need for homes to go unmet. Previous generations made difficult decisions to create the land and build the homes that so many of us benefit from today. We have a duty to do the same for those who will come after us. This project is about ensuring that future generations of Gibraltarians have the same opportunity to live, work and prosper in their own home.”

The Government said the project will also need to be serviced by the necessary utility services, all of which will start to be constructed as soon as the reclamation has been completed and be in place by the time the first units are handed over to purchasers.

“Affordable housing is about much more than providing a roof over someone's head,” the Minister for Health, Care and Business, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said.

“It is about security, stability and giving people opportunities to build and move on with their lives. It is also about ensuring that young people and families are not priced out of the place they call home.”

“Having been involved in this project since its inception, I am proud to say that this development represents a substantial investment in our community and in Gibraltar's future. Alongside the homes themselves, the plans include new public spaces, a seafront promenade, cycle routes and recreational facilities. These are important features which will help create a place where people can live, enjoy their surroundings and bring up their families.”

“We have a responsibility to make the best possible use of the opportunities available to us to meet the needs of our growing community. This Government is committed to doing just that, ensuring that the benefits of development are felt by ordinary Gibraltarians and that affordable housing remains at the heart of our plans.”