New concerns surface around unapproved construction in Hopewell

WESTERN BUREAU:

Construction on a multistorey building on the main street in Hopewell, Hanover, is said to be taking place without any approved drawings at the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC). The building is drawing the renewed attention of officials at the corporation as questions have been raised about it before.

During a recent monthly meeting of the HMC, Devon Brown, councillor for the Hopewell division in the corporation, questioned whether any architectural drawings of the building had been approved by the corporation and added that he had noticed what he considered some irregularities at the building.

“I am for development across the parish, but persons doing developments must realise that there are procedures and guidelines that you need to follow,” Brown argued before turning his attention to the building in question.

“We have a construction in the Hopewell space, right in the town, an enormous building. I know a plan came to the corporation, but the corporation did not approve it, yet the building keeps going up,” the Hopewell councillor declared.

He pointed out that from his observations, he did not see the appropriate parking space in the vicinity of the building, neither could anyone say what the building would be used for.

“I want to make it categorically clear that Councillor Brown did not give any approval for the construction of such a building. I know nothing at all about it,” Brown insisted.

Modifications outstanding

Meanwhile, when questioned about the matter, Director of Planning Grace Whittley told the meeting that the HMC had received a set of architectural drawings for the building in question, but after the application was reviewed, some questions had arisen.

“An application came in, but after reviewing the application, there were some issues with it, and the officer from the Roads and Works Department contacted the developer or the person who submitted the plan and informed him that some modifications are needed, and up to now, we have not received those modifications,” she stated.

Brown pointed out that the construction has been going on even with the notification for the needed modifications to the plans submitted to the point where the building is now almost complete.

“I realise that part of the construction is now trespassing on our property adjacent to it, the Hopewell Market,” Brown pointed out, adding that the corporation needed to act now on what is happening in the area.

Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels agreed that the corporation needed to take some immediate action and directed Chief Engineering Officer Wayne Mitchell to give some attention to the matter.

“Let us do what we have to do from the administration side,” Samuels said.

bryan.miller@glenerjm.com