Invicta Construction has applied to the Central Planning Authority for permission to create a 184-lot subdivision off Austin Connolly Drive in East End.
The company said it wants to divide the 43.6-acre plot into small parcels and sell them at a low cost “to address the pressing need for more affordable housing options”.
However, according to the Department of Environment, the land is made up of dry forest, woodland and shrubs – habitats of “high ecological value” for animals such as blue iguanas.
In the agenda for the 25 Oct. meeting of the authority when the plan will be discussed, the DoE stated that it does not support the approval of the application.
More affordable
In its application, Invicta Construction described plans for a 184-lot subdivision made up of 180 residential lots, three lots for public purposes and one road parcel.
It has requested a change in the current zoning classification for the plot from low density residential to medium density residential, to allow for smaller lots.
“This variance is of paramount importance as it will allow us to reduce parcel sizes by approximately 33% and subsequently lower the price per parcel,” it said in the application.
The company suggested that this would make land more accessible to local residents at more affordable prices.
The subdivision project is priced at $158,034 within the application, but the developer hopes to do more work to prepare it for building.
It predicts that subsequent infrastructure work such as land clearing, road filling, water supply installation and road paving will amount to about $5 million.
“However, by dividing these expenses among a larger number of buyers, we can reduce the individual cost per parcel and make homeownership within reach for a broader segment of potential purchasers,” the applicant added.
It also said will offer some lots with owner financing options to qualified purchasers to “empower individuals who may face challenges in securing traditional financing methods”.
High ecological value
The Department of Environment under delegated authority of the National Conservation Council said it does not support approval of the project.
In its written response to the application, it explained that the proposed site consists of a mixture of primary dry forest and woodland, and primary dry shrubland habitat.
“These habitats are of high ecological value and provide a biodiverse habitat for native wildlife including Grand Cayman blue iguanas,” it said.
The department explained that primary habitat is often very old, existing long before humans, and may consist of many endemic and ecologically important species.
It is in “severe decline and becoming a scarce and highly threatened resource as a result of land conversion for human uses”, it said.
The DoE went on to say the land falls within the natural distribution range of blue iguanas that were released into the Colliers Wilderness Reserve.
Blue iguanas are endemic to Grand Cayman, are an iconic Caymanian flagship species and their presence serves as a valuable tourism asset, the department said.
The species is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List and they are protected under the National Conservation Act (2013).
“As they recover from the brink of extinction… the urbanisation of valuable primary habitat continues to be a concern for the future of our wild population,” the department said.
While it appreciates the need for affordable housing, “there has not been a demonstrated need for a subdivision of this density in this area”, it added.
The Central Planning Authority will discuss the proposal on 25 Oct. and the decision will be published in the meeting minutes about three weeks later.
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