Scarce primary habitat to be cleared for EE subdivision
(CNS): More than six acres of primary habitat in East End is now set to be bulldozed as the Central Planning Authority granted planning permission last month for a 22-lot subdivision for homes and apartments west of John McLean Drive. The Department of Environment has questioned the need for the residential subdivision in the absence of a revised national development plan or justification for more development in the area, given the severe decline and scarcity of Cayman’s primary habitat.
The land in question is dry shrubland vegetation and sparsely vegetated rock, habitat once common across the island but now a dwindling resource that the DoE said is highly threatened as a result of land conversion for human use. “The DoE urges the Planning Department and CPA to look into the need for the subdivision of land in the absence of an updated development plan for the islands,” officials from the DoE said in their submissions to the CPA.
According to the minutes of the meeting, planning permission was granted to the applicant, Lori-Ann Daily, because the CPA determined that the application complies with the Development and Planning Regulations (2021 Revision) but made no mention of the loss of natural resources.
See the minutes of the CPA meeting on 9 November in the CNS Library.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: development, Local News
If this six acres is such critical habitat, why wasn’t the owners approached by DOE/NCC to purchase it at fair market value?
Money Money Money Money Money
Say it again
Some of us is so blind that we can’t see our noses in front of our face. Caymanians that our from the upper elite families have bought and sold tens and hundreds of acres of land to foreigners without evening think about their fellow Caymanians from the lower bracket. Born Caymanians stop tearing down each other for foolish and to fit in with a crowd that will sell you up the river as you Blink. If government wants tell them to go buy the land . I want to know what about the development on 33 acres in cottage area that can’t start to build one home all Now. When a foreigners buy land and subdivide it and build homes nothing said and when a young Caymanian trying help herself and her family she get fight down . What the hell happening here.
Just consider that most of our leaders are interested in making themselves millionaires as soon as possible! It’s the Caymanian way! I know it and you know it!
I find the comments interesting, professional journalism would assume that the editor would reach out to the owner(s) before creating such a situation as to start a public forum about a subdivision development plans they know nothing about away from the approval of said subdivision.
As a Caymanian I’ve seen many locals and foreigners develop this country. This land in question is owned by locals whom have given back significantly to the community and youth and being developed with the intent of providing more than just a “typical housing concept” for those that can afford it. In provision it will provide options that allow for many forms of savings as a home owner.
Singling out this particular development, yet not showing the hundreds of acres subdivided and being developed between North Side and the beginning of East End makes me wonder what the motive was. as a factual addition please note: the developer have reached out to numerous persons regarding safe relocation of fauna including wild banana orchids found on the property and access road, and have even allowed persons from the community to relocate wild bananas orchids and repurpose fallen trees upon the first clearing of the 30ft vehicular right way access in 2016 leading to said property.
Members of the Orchid Society and also the National trust were called to assist in relocation of said plants several years back as well.
Dear Editor it would be wise to only speak on matters that you have done extensive research on and not paint a biased picture, though using factual information, you have used it to insinuate that as developers we don’t care about our natural habitat and the fauna, road designs and natural flow of rain water. Had you made the effort to reach out to us and understand that we have consulted 2 architects with the assistance of our surveyor in design and engineers abroad regarding best ways of finding a minimal environmental impact design on the subdivision road construction system among numerous other things looked at, we could have given you greater insight on current and future plans, but chose instead to attack a situation based on poor distasteful journalistic work.
Lord have mercy, you sound like a abnoxious violin. If you want to correct the record then reveal the plan.
Sorry, 8:58 p.m. There is no plan other than the one our leaders use, which is getting all you can for as long as you can. It never changes.
11.22pm It appears from your comments you are, or represent, the owners, even when signing as “anonymous”.It seems to me your attack on CNS is unwarranted as the author is merely highlighting the severe decline and scarcity of this type of habitat in Grand Cayman which is highly threatened as a result of commercial development.You may relocate as many banana orchids as you like, (which incidentally are flora not fauna) but once these 6 acres are developed this habitat is lost for ever and cannot be replaced. This is fact, not an opinion.
Remember when Newlands, Spotts, Prospect, Lower Valley, Northward, were all dry bush land, swamp land, pasture land, land filled with habitats? Look at those areas now? As the population grows so has the nerd for housing and businesses.
Hopefully these residences will be affordable.
Every apartment and home can now longer be in GT, WB or BT🥺🤕.
Apartments should go up 3 floors, with closed balconies on the front. These can be rented or sold. To Caymanians. Not everyone needs or wants a house.
The only matter of significance is the zoning of the parcel(s) in question. I could look it up but I can’t be bothered, pretty sure I already know the answer.
Zoning is LDR (Low Density Residential). AKA land zoned for development under the current laws and regulations of our blessed Cayman Islands.
More housing for additional excessive minimum wage population. For what? To serve the owners of the new excessive boutique hotels and condos. They certainly can’t be expected to clean their own house or cook their own food.
Just remember your place, everyone. You can’t afford property anymore; your places is to struggle and serve the elite. Forget your dreams; your time has passed.
Ditto. Can’t afford to live in our own home country. It’s time to move off island, which is the only problem for us Caymanians. We have nowhere else to go..unlike Cayman, no other country wants to hire foreigners so it’s difficult to find another place to call home.
So when will government be doing the new development plan?
Well the CPA turned over the draft document to the Minister of Planning in September 2022.
I do hope it’s a realistic, sustainable, forward-looking plan… although I suspect my hope is in vain!
Article doesn’t say scare habitat for what and is quite superficial. Maybe there is a demand for human housing there?
Also, most of the island is zoned low density which wastes a lot of valuable land on a small island, smarter use of land with high densities need to be considered and a funded plan to preserve land for wildlife put in place (by purchase at fair value). Where aren’t the planning dept and other ministries leading the way on this? Planning/zoning is stuck from 40 years ago.
I normally am in support of a fair amount of the recommendations of the DoE. However, in this case I’m left to wonder where is it that they expect the non-millionaire / billionaire persons (most long-term Caymanians) to live? This is six acres of dry bush land. Six measly acres!
Time to stop importing poverty. Time to stop building for expats. Please let’s cap our population at 75,000 and see if living conditions improve. There are too many armed hold ups & people seeking NAU assistance. Stop importing labour & make the locals work instead of asking for money. This will work if we put the minimum wage up to $15 per hour.
The horse has already bolted on the 75,000 population figure my friend.
“We need affordable homes for Caymanians!”
Developer plans a subdivision out in the bush of East End, where no expat would ever want to live.
“We need to leave the bush land alone!”
There is no pleasing some of you.
Pave paradise, put up a parking lot 🙄
Bye bye rabbits!!
They ain’t rabbits.
rabbits, solders crabs ,parrots, all birds kinds an all natural animal life. just for money an pleasing ppl poket an don’t give a XXXX about our habitats an all good animal .every subdivision that goes on here is bad for the habitats cause no one thinks or care the other non human life that lives here before us .we found them here .well then leave a area untouch for them all the wet land had crabs home an birds for the trees, an what happen yall run them from they home an they got to struggle to find a different home living just like us they have feeling too ain’t nobody lookin out for habitats an only care to clean land jus for the money an dont give a shit bout the habitats around us that hurts you clean all the land an disturbed the ground then what happen all God non human creation. they all will die or perish an that not write. man I remember when I could have go on west bad roads an find soldier crab by the bucket but since they making this place concrete jungle with all these bulding development where do they stand a chance if they took it from them an still didn’t even leave a natural area or space for them to live there back in there habitats. if if you Goin sell lots an develope don’t forget about that they was first here before us have some fucking respect for them . we need the habitats an non-human species here .evey day you building you killing an not thinking bout them have some heart an consideration please
Leave Natural Habitats unspoiled!
Why do you get to decide what happens to someone else’s private property? Can I come to your house and rearrange things? You (current and prior owners) have spoiled the natural habitat, haven’t you?
Foreigners come to Cayman and always rearrange things…forever wanting to change our little island. So yes we do get to decide what happens to a country that we are actually from.
There goes the quiet little town of East End!
Money Money Money…. Money!
“Primary habitat”, the new buzzwords for “bush”.
You deserve what is coming. Imbeciles.
Yes, and when the imbeciles have the same opinion as Anonymous 6:42am you can plainly see what has happened.
More sell out, more concrete.
More homes that only the rich can afford.