The government says it is restarting efforts to draw up a modernised national development plan for the Cayman Islands – an endeavour successive governments have promised over the past two decades.
Cayman’s existing development plan was published in 1997 and has not been updated since then. The purpose of such a plan is to regulate the development and use of land in all three islands.
Under the Progressives government, an extensive public consultation was held five years ago on ‘Plan Cayman’, which led to the drafting of a National Planning Framework.
Now, with Cayman dealing with a far larger population than in 2018, as well as ongoing debates over how to protect the environment while encouraging the economic benefits of development, the Ministry of Planning is again asking the public to give its input on the development plan.
According to a government statement issued on Tuesday, Plan Cayman is led by the Central Planning Authority, which is supported by the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, the Department of Planning, and the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency.
According to the statement, Plan Cayman represents “not just a fresh chapter but a reinvigorated vision, deeply rooted in the collective wisdom and aspirations of the Cayman Islands community.”
It continued, “It aims to more accurately reflect the evolving needs of the country. Central to this Development Plan is the commitment to enhancing the quality of life for both residents and visitors of the Cayman Islands by ensuring that development promotes a sustainable and desirable balance of economic, social and environmental outcomes.
“’Sustainable development’ therefore attempts to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
A spokesperson for the planning ministry told the Compass that the Central Planning Authority was updating the 1997 Planning Statement, using the Plan Cayman National Planning Framework as a foundation.
That Planning Statement is expected to be published for public consultation early in the first quarter of 2024, the spokesperson said.
Planning minister Jay Ebanks, said in the statement, “This is a moment of renewal and rededication to our shared vision for the Cayman Islands. Plan Cayman is not just a plan; it’s a commitment to a better, more sustainable future for all.”
There have been repeated efforts to update the 1997 plan over the years, beginning in 2001 when the Central Planning Authority commenced a district-by-district review of the plan. In 2003, a Development Plan Tribunal was held and the CPA prepared final amendments for the preparation of the ‘Development Plan 2004’, but these were never adopted.
Another review was proposed in 2008 when a Strategic Plan was prepared for Grand Cayman, with goals being derived from the previous public outreach exercises along with the National Strategic Plan; ‘Vision 2008’.
The efforts in 2018 to review the plan were wide-ranging, but ultimately a revised and modernised plan was not implemented.
In a meeting last month, the Central Planning Authority discussed a timeline for completion of the much-anticipated new national development plan, which aims to set out goals, objectives and guidelines for development and land use on Grand Cayman.
For more information, visit www.plancayman.ky.
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