MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New housing development planned for Stanley.

A new housing development plan involving 344 plots in Stanley the capital of the Falkland Islands has been announced.

The plan drawn up by Gwyn Thompson at the government's Planning Office was examined at the recent Public Works Department Committee meeting.

The proposal in South Sappers Hill, West Stanley, is made up of a basic grid pattern with a main spine road winding its way through the development area; the spine road will be a clearway.

Three hundred and forty four plots are laid out on the plan, although there is the potential for more. All the housing plots are off minor roads.

Director of Public Works, Manfred Keenleyside said, the next phase in the development will be the costing of the spine road which is expected to be between £5 and £6 million, the infrastructure should be, "...developable at similar or lower rates to East Stanley".

Since the "squid and tourism" boom following the 1982 South Atlantic war, the Falklands population ceased to decline and began growing, together with a strong demand for housing.

According to the 2002 census Stanley had a population of 1,989 and 851 houses.