Ground broken for new St Catherine community

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, on Friday (August 26), broke ground for the project which will be undertaken by the Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ), in partnership with N.F. Barnes Construction and Equipment Company Limited, at a cost of $1.7 billion.

The gated community development, which will comprise 142 semi-detached townhouses with an average lot size of 146 square metres and six stand-alone units with 205 square metres of space, is targetted at middle-income first-time homeowners.

Prime Minister Holness said the Sandown Palms will include amenities such as a children’s play area, a multipurpose building, hardcourts, a mini football field, an outdoor gazebo, and a walking trail.

“So, this will be a lovely community with all the amenities to improve the quality of life of all the persons who will be homeowners here,” he pointed out.

Mr. Holness advised that the prices for the houses will be determined as soon as construction commences, adding that the developers “have a good understanding as to what the market is for these kinds of units.”

The project is the third of its design being executed in St. Catherine by the HAJ.

Meanwhile, Mr. Holness said although expansion of the properties will be allowed at the rear of the units, it is recommended that the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation puts measures in place to prevent “disorderly development.”

“Order should never have to be sacrificed for survival… because you cannot thrive in disorder. So, at some point, many irregular developments will have to be regularised, and I am hoping that as we progress as a society, we learn from the errors of the past… make the rules, and firmly maintain the order,” he underscored.