The proposed construction of 34 apartments valued at $12 million on South Church Street has been met with objections from neighbouring residents concerned about increased traffic and the proximity to Sol’s Jackson Point fuel storage facility.
The application, filed by Kel Thompson, is set to be heard at the next Central Planning Board meeting on 8 Jan. at 2:30pm, when objectors hope to voice their concerns.
Thompson’s application, which was first filed last year, is seeking permission to build 34 apartments, a pool and cabana on the seafront of South Church Street in George Town, next door to the Jackson Point fuel depot.
The site is approximately 2.36 acres in a Beach Resort/Residential Zone.
Traffic concerns
South Church Street residents, including sisters Maxine and Maureen Bodden, have filed objections to the planned development, saying that it will be “out of character” for the community.
The Boddens, through a legal letter, said demolishing the single-family home, which currently sits on the site, to create six, two-storey buildings does not match the character of the community.
They also say its construction could increase traffic congestion and add to the gridlock in the area.
The letter stated:
“Assuming that each unit will have a vehicle, 34 cars will be added to the traffic flow of an already congested South Church Street. North of Parcel 7C13, on Parcels 6D 60 and 6D63, the trucks and tank vehicles of Sol Petroleum Cayman Limited, and on Parcel 6D12, the trucks and tank vehicles of Rubis Cayman Islands Limited, are already causing traffic congestion and sometimes a potentially dangerous situation for the narrow roadway and a bad corner for accidents.”
The letter added that with CUC’s warning of planned outages because of high electricity demand, “our clients submit that the existing infrastructure does not support the addition of the proposed units”.
South Church Street residents Carlos and Fiona de Serpa Pimentel shared the Bodden sisters’ concerns.
“The proposed development also raises serious concerns around increased volume of traffic, heightened risk of road traffic accidents on this section of South Church Street and increased difficulty of egress and ingress from our own property, as well as the negative impact of the proposed location of the entrance to the proposed development,” the Pimentels said in their objection letter.
They also stated that the addition of up to 70 cars, based on the number of planned parking spaces for the complex, will cause increased difficulty exiting their drive, “which already has restricted visibility and access due to the heavy traffic both ways and the sharp bend in the road, as well as for our neighbours at 531 South Church Street and for parents dropping off and picking up children at the Montessori of Cayman School.”
The Pimentels said that the immediate proximity of the proposed development to the Sol fuel tanks should be a cause for concern for the CPA, pointing to the 2017 fire at the fuel tanks that required the evacuation of residents in the immediate area and up to one mile away.
“The Fire Services had difficulties tackling the fire which could have been much worse. The Planning department will need to be fully satisfied that building a development of 34 apartments right next door to the fuel tanks is a safe and prudent proposal to approve,” they wrote.
Environmental conditions
The Department of Environment pointed out in its response to the application that the development is located adjacent to a marine reserve.
The DoE has issued draft directed conditions for the development, ordering that construction materials be stockpiled at least 50 feet from the mean high water mark or on the landward side of the construction fencing to reduce the possibility of run-off washing material and debris into the sea.
If the construction uses insulating concrete forms or other polystyrene materials, it ordered that screens or other enclosures, along with vacuuming, must be used to ensure that any shavings, foam waste or polystyrene debris are completely captured on-site and do not impact the surrounding areas or pollute the adjacent marine environment.
Pointing to damage done to properties along Grand Cayman’s shoreline during a nor’wester in February 2024, the DoE also recommended that no habitable structures be placed within 150 feet landward of the mean high water mark, due to likely seawater incursion.
The Water Authority has asked that the developer submit an on-site wastewater treatment proposal, which it will review and approve as a condition for obtaining a building permit.
The fire service has given its approval for the application.
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How on earth can homes construction be even considered right next to the fuel storage tanks. No civilised country would allow this. Years ago there were questions in the press asking how homes could be built so close to tanks containing highly inflammable fuel and the answer given by Planning was that they were built before the gasoline storage tanks. This is not the case now and the project should be abandoned. If it went ahead just imagine the insurance premiums for such a location, if they could be obtained at all.