CPA clears $1.2M ORIA work for private jets
(CNS): The Central Planning Authority has given planning permission to AMR Consulting Engineers to expand the apron used by private jets at Owen Roberts International Airport as part of the Cayman Islands Airports Authority’s plan to build a new $42 million general aviation terminal for Cayman’s wealthiest travellers. This external work is expected to cost approximately CI$1.2 million and will expand the area by about 700,000 sqft. However, it is unclear whether the new government supports this controversial project.
The project is part of the redevelopment proposal for all three of Cayman’s airports, all of which have given rise to environmental concerns and questions as to whether there is even a need for the projects, especially in light of the costs involved when there are other pressing issues not addressed, such as the increasingly overcrowded main OIRA terminal and a lack of jetways.
The CPA gave this part of the project the green light on 30 April, and according to the recently published minutes, work will include a generator and a utility building. Although a nearby resident had filed an objection, the person did not appear at the meeting for the second time, so the board continued with the hearing in their absence.
The objection was based on environmental concerns as the expansion work will impact the mangrove buffer zone along the north sound coastline. The developers are required to submit a mitigation plan for the Department of Environment to review and approve. The plan should outline the measures that will be taken to help offset the loss of the mangrove habitat.
The DoE had also raised its concerns regarding how close this work is to the ocean. “The proposed development is situated very close to the North Sound, with areas of the apron and service road as close as 40 ft from the sea,” the DoE scientists had said.
“To enhance the long term climate resiliency of the proposed development, we strongly encourage the applicant to consider siting the development further back from the shoreline. Coastal setbacks not only reduce the risk of damage from storm surges, sea-level rise and coastal erosion, but also help to preserve the natural protection that coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, provide.”
However, the advice that could help avoid costly adaptations or repairs in the future does not appear to have been incorporated into the project plans.
While the CIAA is expected to continue moving ahead with this project, the new coalition government has not yet stated its position on any of the plans for this ongoing expansion of Cayman’s airports.
Public meetings held as part of the public consultation on the environmental impact assessments began this week. The EIAs are being conducted for the ORIA runway extension, external expansion and repair work at the Charles Kirkconnell airport on Cayman Brac and the proposed relocation of the Little Cayman airport.
See more about the public consultation here.
See the minutes of the CPA meeting in the CNS Library.
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Category: development, Local News, Travel
I like how each of these private planes on the deck of the aircraft carrier tarmac are individually illuminated with by space mirrors. That’s an expensive touch.
I’m sorry……the last thing we NEED is more billionaires and centi-millionaires coming on island with their entourages…..
The place is already too expensive to live in and buy groceries, pay for utilities etc., let alone hope to buy a home. For these very successful individuals/families – (and I congratulate them on their success…) throwing out a couple of million for a plot or a piece, of land or for a house is nothing…a rounding error on a monthly investment interest calculation spreadsheet….
These “whales” do not “rise all boats” when they “splash” into the Cayman Islands – they sink them.
This generation will be homeless due to lack of affordability…we are storing up nothing for the future but gated communities with (armed) guards….
I say this as someone who is married to a person from over seas….We welcome the foreign investment…but “what” or more correctly; “who”, is it all for, at the end of the day?
We must cry STOP, plan, control and limit, for OUR future, ……. while we still can.
The recommendation to move the building works back further from the north sound to protect the natural buffer is important for the health of the north sound that we all use. The request to build a private water dock should be squashed now.
This is a thriving and protected nursery habitat which can be protected with the appropriate intervention. We need better negotiators at the table.
oh no! not another private sector board committing us to millions of dollars
sack he entire board. remember they had to get the Governor to sort out their parking woes. Now they want to built a terminal next to the sea and a major flood area.
incompetence!
Why do so many persons comment without reading articles carefully? This article speaks about planning approval for increasing the parking area for private planes. Not about a new private aviation terminal just the asphalt area where planes are kept while on the ground.
Maybe the new government will decide that is all that is needed for now.
My vote would be to complete the new road to the airport before considering spending on a new private terminal. That way all airport clients coming from SMB area would benefit and not have to traverse Industrial Park.
The private FBO is currently on the western side, where it’s always been, down the road of the main Owen Roberts Int’l Terminal. Why would CPA approve the paving of apron on the eastern flank if it didn’t relate to the intended movement of this FBO? Are these VIPs supposed to park their $20mln jet in that North Sound salt air and meander back through the jumble of international airport planes and vehicles to the the FBO to clear HM Customs?
This private plane terminal os a VANITY project! Unnecessary at this stage.
Private jet passengers want quick processing; they don’t want or need grand facilities.
Quick processing and clean restrooms can be achieved for less than $1.2 m and certainly a lot less than $42m!
Or they can shit on the plane.
Stop this madness as it is just a waste of our tax dollars. Why does everyone have to kiss the rich people’s asses all the time????
Have you tried kissing poor people’s asses? I can tell you from experience the rich ones are better.
Let the big developers pay for the whole thing since they want it for their friends anyway.
Another rich people hater.
Can Cayman Airways PLEASE introduce a flight to Western Canada to capitalize on Canadians looking to travel elsewhere since the US is now a third world County and they are no longer traveling there.
Canadians are too cheap. We need spenders here.
You might have more appropriately spelled “third” as it is sometimes pronounced “turd”.
The current private terminal needs to move with the expansion of the airport.
An “international airport” must meet certain criteria to retain its designation. If Cayman loses the designation, we lose all revenue related to air travel (commercial, private, courier planes, medevac, etc.)
We had an still have an international airport here when part of you was a tadpole. This is all about an ex-crack dealer getting his kickback.
And how exactly will they lose that criteria?
What are these criteria, then? Having a private jet terminal surely isn’t one.
And 1 out of 1000 will actually be able to make use of this terminal, surely some other means should be used to fund this other than the majority of us that WILL NOT benefit at all from this vanity project.
Private aircraft Cayman needs to address this 6 airlines ban foolishness that is circulating on YouTube before it effects our tourism product here .