Dart makes revised bid for 7MB toilet block

| 07/06/2022 | 51 Comments
Closed Calico Jack’s site

(CNS): Shoreline Development Company, part of the Dart Group’s network of companies, has submitted revised plans for the redevelopment of the Calico Jack’s site on Seven Mile Beach. The application for the project was heard last month but was adjourned to allow the developer to redraw the plans to relocate a toilet block for the new beach bar so that it complies with the high water mark setback.

The revised plans will be considered by the Central Planning Authority on Wednesday but the details are not on the agenda for the meeting. The document merely states that new plans were submitted that are in compliance with the regulations.

The original application was controversial, given the issues relating to beach erosion and the opportunity that the redevelopment presented for Dart to build on this site in a sustainable and climate-resilient way. The once-popular casual beach bar closed in April 2020 as it was earmarked to be part of Dart’s latest hotel project behind the Public Beach and adjacent to the Kimpton resort.

On behalf of the National Conservation Council, the Department of Environment had raised a number of concerns about the project, such as the impact on turtle nesting habitat and the original failure to meet the high water mark setback.

“It is imperative that minimum coastal setbacks are met, particularly given climate change predictions for the region, which include sea-level rise, increased intensity of storm events, including storm surge and the increasing prevalence of coastal erosion,” the DoE said in its submissions last month, noting that there had already been beach erosion in the past at this site.

“With a proposal for redevelopment, the applicant now has the opportunity to build in a more sustainable and climate-resilient manner, future-proofing the current structure,” the DoE stated, noting the historic problems with the bar, including a seawall built in 2014 that does not comply with regulations.

However, it does not appear that Dart is making any substantive changes to the proposed redo of the beach bar, other than moving the toilet block back a few feet, removing a fence and realigning some parking.

The return of the application before the CPA follows recent comments by Premier Wayne Panton about plans to change how the high water mark setbacks are calculated. Once this is implemented, this project would not be in compliance with the new line, even after the relocation of the toilets.

See the application on agenda for Wednesday’s CPA meeting in the CNS Library.


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Category: development, Local News

Comments (51)

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  1. Sam sam says:

    The government. The government.every in our country is all about the money .why don’t they ask dart to build some low cost houses instead of flooding all our land with structures to benefit his pocket.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Panton and his minions could in very short order, if they were not inept procrastinating bumblers, pass a moratorium on development on Seven Mile Beach within a certain distance proximate to the existing high water mark; one a lot further up than now. Thus, they can buy some time to fully implement new setback regulations. Of course buying them time could mean they may well leave office and still not have it done, but we can dream, can’t we?

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  3. Anonymous says:

    The return of the application before the CPA follows recent comments by Premier Wayne Panton about plans to change how the high water mark setbacks are calculated. Once this is implemented, this project would not be in compliance with the new line, even after the relocation of the toilets.

    The truth is Wayne would rather concede, readily hang his head in shame, and rollover for Dart for whatever he says is needed.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah! It’s easier to go with the flow. Being a billionaire makes it so easy to get things done.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Pretty sure that in order for the application to have been considered for this agenda, it would have had to have been submitted prior to Wayne’s little soundbite. Perhaps there’s a date of receipt stamp on it? Maybe ask Planning if you are that uptight.

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      • Anonymous says:

        DARTBOT is again active trying to defend Dart!

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      • Anonymous says:

        ‘Wayne’s little sound bite’ is a small reflection of what he’s broadcast since taking office. You remember that one about limiting cruise ships, or that one about containing development, or what about that one just recently when ‘Wayne turned down an invitation to present the keynote speech at a climate summit in Turks and Caicos this week in favour of attending the Caribbean Financial Access Roundtable in Barbados’. 🤷🏻‍♀️

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    • Anonymous says:

      Rollover?….. Well, it does look that way. But you know that billionaires can do most anything they want.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Dart has a first class toilet facility already, well set back from the waterline. It’s just down the road, formerly it was called the Hyatt Hotel, now it’s just Dart’s Dump. Shuttle the guests down there. Problem solved.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    What is the issue? It’s a beach bar, we all miss calicos. Build it same place on the beach

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Can the CPA get people some over-walks? Also, the trees cut and grass between the lanes trimmed? Major health hazard by Kimpton sorry for those traveling across it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Disgraceful that there is no pedestrian safety zone in the median to transverse Raleigh Quay (the by pass cut through the road)

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  7. Anonymous says:

    I have an IDEA! How about use that location and toilets to house Cuban refugees. Setup camp behooves me to say this is a fine idea.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Hardly the most controversial item on the agenda.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    I’m sure it’s already been approved.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Shut up and leave Dart alone. Even Marl Road Sandy said today we need development and Mr Dart is always trying to do what is right. Forgive these fools please Mr Dart.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    All applications on the coast need to be put on hold by government until the new guidelines are in place. Dart is just trying to get this approved now before the guidelines change. Dart does not give a damn about the beach or the island just about the money. A temporary moratorium on application should be enacted right away and the new guidelines should be top priority.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with you, subject to one small detail. For that to be reasonable, the government would have to commit to producing those guidelines within a reasonable timeframe. Now tell me honestly, how long do you think that’s going to take? Hell, the new high water mark has only taken 10 years to develop so far and still isn’t published.

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      • Anonymous says:

        What has Panton and his minions ever done in a reasonable time frame?
        Last year the Clown Car promised to have the Doppler weather radar fixed in time for hurricane season. It’s been out since 2021.
        In fairness they might have meant hurricane season 2024 and that would be an optimistic outlook.

  12. Anonymous says:

    What’s wrong with a good old fashioned sand squat and a grape leaf?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Or, 11:56, maybe Dart could participate in a very traditional crapper solution: a grouping of charming little traditional Cayman-styled outhouses! Call the quaint little village “Merd Manor” or “Pootie Place”, maybe “Grunt n’ Go Garden”, or, “PACT Palaces”, something catchy like that. The heritage and cultural organisations should be delighted to see someone trying to preserve our traditional architecture, customs, and heritage this way. Such a project would create employment: hole diggers, outhouse movers, sand shovelers, grape leaf harvesters, etc. In case of a storm, they can easily be moved out of harm’s way. They will hardly be able to cause any erosion, if the sea hits ’em they topple. So they would automatically have to be placed up well away from the high water mark: wouldn’t want a Nor’wester to topple one when the occupant is in mid-squat. Maybe get some corporate or organisation sponsors aboard. I should think that Cayman’s political parties and entities would be quite proud to put their name and logo on such a project. Especially Panton’s PACT as they are experts at shoveling that stuff.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Rumors of SMB based developments in serious trouble, why not Gov step in and take back the lands and create beaches/parks/waterfront bars etc like every other Caribbean nation? Otherwise you end up with Dart bars – $20 cocktails and not a ‘local’ in sight

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    • Anonymous says:

      And not a repeat tourist in site either. We ( long term tourist) remember the old Holiday Inn, Royal Palms, Calico, etc. That is what we also want. We do not want Dart bars and to pay $20 for a cocktail and no locals in sight.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Who built the seawall?

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  15. Anonymous says:

    When the little bit of beach that they presently have by the bar buildings is taken away by some high waves, who will they blame for their own obstinance?

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  16. Nigel says:

    Not acceptable if the revised plans are not in accordance with the guidelines. The guidelines are there for a reason and a proposal outside of the guidelines should, quite simply, not even be given one moment of consideration until they are. To do otherwise would make a mockery of the guidelines in place and who would be stupid enough to do that?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Except that the proposal is in line with the guidelines currently in force. CNS points out that the application would not be in line with the as yet unpublished guidelines that Wayne has suggested will e issued . Its a bit like the Ofreg/sustainable energy issue – Wayne speaks publicly about plans and intentions, but there is no detail, no timeline on when that policy will be promulgated.

      I am no fan of Mr Dart’s development ambitions, or the CPA, but honestly – how are the CPA meant to deal with applications based on as yet non existent, soon come plans without any detail of what those will be, when they will come into effect? Yu cant govern a country based on soundbites.

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      • Anonymous says:

        CPA have reasonable grounds to adjourn again, citing forthcoming changes to the setbacks. Developers shouldn’t want to construct a new structure, only to tear it down a few months from now. There is no grandfathering of illegal structures.

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        • Anonymous says:

          No they don’t.

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        • Anonymous says:

          1:17 pm Are you serious ???? Defer applications because you think a law or regulation will be changed? That’s grounds for Judicial Review. You’ve got a job to do, just do it! If the legislators take their time, it’s on them.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Nobody will be tearing anything down in a few months, or a few years for that matter.

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        • Anonymous says:

          No grandfathering – lol. Like the Boggy Road monstrosity? Like the Sandbar? Here s a challenge – name one, just one illegal beachfront structure that CPA have had torn down. Just one. Waiting.

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      • Anonymous says:

        10:56 am Excellent points and precisely true!

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      • Anonymous says:

        You failed to note the freeze on development until the new HWM is defined. I suppose you’re favour of blindly going forward with all development in this contested zone even though you know it not to be in line with preserving the beach?

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