HMC issues stop order on building near new Princess Hotel

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) has issued a stop order for the erection of a wooden structure in close proximity to the new multimillion-dollar Princess Hotel, now under construction in Green Island, Hanover. According to reports, the building, which is believed to be a project by the developers of the hotel, is being constructed without the authorisation of the HMC as no architectural drawings were submitted and consequently, no approval was granted, which renders the structure in breach of the municipality’s building code.

The matter was brought up at Tuesday’s meeting of the corporation’s physical planning and environment committee, where it was further outlined that in addition to the failure to submit architectural drawings, the proximity of the structure to the main road, and the absence of sewage or water connections were other issues of breach. Xavier Munroe, deputy superintendent in the HMC’s roads and works department, told the meeting that he spoke to persons on the Princess Hotel property about the illegality of the building, but was told that consultations had been held with agencies other than the HMC and that they had been given permission to proceed.

“I spoke with two persons, including the project manager, advising them that it (the construction of the wooden building) cannot work like that, but both of them told me that they have made communication to the HMC by email,” said Munroe. But it was later revealed in the meeting that while the HMC had received an email from the developers, Mayor Sheridan Samuels and director of planning Grace Whittley had difficulty understanding the contents because of how the email was structured.

In an interview with The Gleaner following the meeting, Samuels said plans to resolve the matter will now also include discussions with representatives of the National Works Agency (NWA).

“We have planned to engage the developers and during the 14 days period of the stop order, we are going to sit with them, to find out what they intend to do there and outline our concerns for such a structure,” said Samuels.

“They are not the only ones that have to take responsibility for the illegal construction, as we intend to serve NWA a notice also, for them to make it right.”

This latest situation has further driven a wedge between the HMC and the developers who are yet to respond to a request for a meeting with the municipal body to discuss the extensive damage being done to roads in the Green Island area by trucks transporting marl to that hotel property.

Marvell Sewell, councillor for the Green Island division, who has come under pressure from residents about that issue, says he is eager for the meeting because the concerns of the residents must be addressed.