Local developer gets approval for new homes

Low cost housing developer
Frank Hall

Friday, December 23, 2005

Low cost housing developer Frank Hall has a lot to celebrate this Christmas, as his building plan that was held up for about 18 months due to appeals from residents in the Newlands area has received final approval.

Mr Hall got the final approval on Tuesday 20 December. Moments after receiving word that the plan was approved, Mr Hall began preliminary work at the site.

�I�ve just got the approval today (Tuesday) and I�m going to start the work right now,� he told Cayman Net News. �I�m happy that the people are now going to get their homes after this long wait,� he said.

Mr Hall said that after the holiday break construction on the property would be in high gear.

�After the holiday there will be a ground breaking ceremony,� he said.

Mr Hall wanted to build 150 housing solutions in the Newlands area and his dream of building affordable homes was almost derailed when residents in the area objected to the construction.

The building plan, which was approved by the Planning Board, was put on hold, tying up some $25 million in investments until the objections were heard. The first hearing did not come until a year after the objections were initially made to the Planning Appeal Tribunal (PAT).

However, Mr Hall began to see a glimmer of light when PAT upheld the original ruling of the Planning Board. However, the plans had to go back before the Planning Board for post-Ivan approval.

However, the length of time in which the local developer had to wait before his appeal was dealt with, prompted him to speak out on the appeal process.

He had said the tribunal comprises young professionals who are unable to attend some of the meetings.

�They need people on the Tribunal who know the laws. So, they should give it to retired lawyers who have the time to attend the hearings,� Mr Hall said.

Mr Hall who is developing low-income housing said that residents in Newlands, one of the areas in which he is building had appealed to have his building application overturned. He said in the 18 months, in which it took PAT to settle the matter, he met with the Tribunal twice.

�Some people got loans from the banks, and they were threatening to cancel the people�s loans because the houses were not ready,� said Mr Hall.

�Some people paid up their deposit and have come back for their money because after a year we had no house for them.�

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