Major development plans for LBI housing scheme – Croal

Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal surrounded by a team of engineers and contractors as he inspected the ongoing works at the LBI Housing Scheme yesterday. (DPI photo)
Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal surrounded by a team of engineers and contractors as he inspected the ongoing works at the LBI Housing Scheme yesterday. (DPI photo)

Major development plans are in the works for LBI says Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal

A release from the Department of Public Information (DPI) yesterday stated that the minister laid out the infrastructural framework that will see massive development in the La Bonne Intention (LBI) housing scheme. He conducted several site visits along the East Coast of Demerara yesterday.

Croal informed that persons who have been allocated lots in the residential areas have been shown their lots and are now able to apply for a mortgage.

“All those persons have already started to sign their letters of agreement of sale. We have also sorted out the ownership, because, when we (took)  over, they did not have ownership. So, that is now taken care of.”

Some 450 persons were allocated residential lots in the LBI housing scheme.

DPI said that the area is separated by a series of zones. The first zone consists of residential house lots, and the second, of homes for young professionals. It further noted that infrastructural works are being prepared for close to 600 of these homes.

Croal highlighted that, similar to the issues in La Reconnaissance, accessibility poses a challenge with the ongoing works.

“So, you may see the front of the scheme developing, but then to get access to go inwards is difficult, because sometimes a contractor is waiting on the contractor in front of them, or in another case, we would need to get the access road done in order to have the infrastructure,” he pointed out.

The minister said that LBI is being developed to attract private investment, and that road interconnectivity is also a priority in this process.

“The other development that is happening on the eastern side is where private investors will be conducting infrastructural works… for high-end housing, hotel-type activities and so forth. We will also be seeing a commercial zone, which will run close to the road connecting Aubrey Barker [Road in South Ruimveldt] to Enmore-Foulis. So, you can see how interconnected all the areas on the East Coast are.”

He explained that the allocation of house lots in Region Four is based on availability, pointing out that there is a scarcity of available plots for residential purposes on the East Bank of Demerara, the release added.