East End ‘affordable lots’ project well behind schedule
(CNS): Work is underway, officials have said, on a government project to create over 50 affordable lots on crown land in East End which was supposed to have been finished before the end of last year. The work on 20 acres of government owned land off Austin Connolly Drive close to the Light House Park involves the construction of roads and storm water management. Under the ministry of lands and public works the site is now a construction zone with trucks and other heavy vehicles entering and exiting until the end of the year, officials are warning drivers.
The project received planning permission last April and was due to have been finished almost one year ago. Officials have not yet said when the site will be ready for the lots to be sold or what the criteria for purchase will be, now that the work is underway. Its understood however that the lots will be sold at cost to Caymanian independent developers or individuals who want to build their own homes.
While the project has been fuelled by the desperate need for affordable housing for local people to build it has not been without its controversy. There were a number of environmental concerns about the primary and rare habitat that will be lost as the land is cleared but these were all dismissed at the time of planning application in favour of the government policy to make land available for building.
Part of the site had been under consideration by the National Conservation Council to become a protected habitat because it is not only ecologically important it is also geological interesting. Dubbed as a potential ‘Hell East’ because of the unique rocky, dry forest landscape the idea of a new tourist attraction had been floated. But suggestions by the department of environment to alter the plans to keep the ‘Hell’ like area as a central feature and subdivide the land around it were dismissed by the Central Planning Authority which cited government policy at the time.
According to the original application the long term plans also included other community features in particular a new old folks home to replace Sunrise Cottage the former elderly residential facility that was closed in 2019 that was on part of the site.
As the project moves ahead work on well-drilling may also cause water to flow onto nearby roadways, creating potential hazards that could be worsened by increased rainfall. Traffic management measures, including signs, are in place to protect drivers. Road users are urged to exercise extra caution during this period.
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Category: Local News
Again, a government construction contract being handled by unaccountable amateurs whose only skill is that they are civil servants.
When will government and PWD swallow their pride and have these contracts managed by professionals , who are actually accountable and responsible for delivering projects on time and on budget.
subdividing land is a very long and tedious project. from cpa hold ups to island paving backlogs. this is not surprising.
No doubt they won’t be affordable once cowboy contractors and NHDT racketeers have taken their cut.
Oh gosh, corrupt, inbred, retarded MLAs can’t organise a proverbial in a proverbial, what a surprise!!
Of course MLAs don’t care! They only care about commercial developers for tourists, because only commercial developers give them bribes and kick-backs with which they can buy wotes.
Never mind, “Cayman gone”. With the current political system, “Cayman f##ked”.
Does it come to anyone as a surprise ? Not only that project will be mired in cost overruns for certain but it will also face multiple redos and remediations as the contractors on island simply don’t want to deal with fixed closed budgets at all !
In TCI for comparison, contractors will respect their contracts and will operate well within budget allocations with minimal overhead and modifications! How come that cannot happen here ?
This is only one of the many reasons I have moved investment portfolio of properties quietly off island and with better returns than I can ever expect here ! And I would think I am not alone in this decision !
Cayman right now when it comes to construction is overwhelmingly costly , with poor returns on investment and facing overthinking and nonsensical regulations!
The housing pool is constantly shrinking for those very reasons. People realize quickly that they are being fleeced for an end product that makes little economic sense and that take 70 percent more time to come to fruition than the contractors advertised and run for the best managed about 15 percent over budget and way over that for the worst case scenario.
Not to mention the multiple levels of “inspections” one has to face to qualify each stage of a project with inspectors contradicting each other as often the case !
these are only land lots and they’re only for Caymanians buying their first lot for a home. they’re not meant for independent developers as the article states. they’re affordable LAND LOTS
At cost? So like 40k per lot? So they’re creating a ghetto? Nice.
Is this right next to the late Warren and Islay Connolly’s home in East End?
Only if government does not impose and enforce restrictive covenants.
Size, setbacks, materials used and installation by licensed plumbers and electricians.
Without these enforceable controls in place, it will turn into a Windsor park shanty town, Jamaica style.
11.03, “Affordable” comes with sacrifices.
“Location, location, location” comes with a price tag.
wow!!??….more low rise large subdivisions in the middle of nowhere with no amenities nearby…recipe for disaster. enjoy the 2 hour morning/evening commute….
welcome to wonderland.
Another glorious day for the civil service……time for more awards franz!