Yet again the controversy between local ideals for property development in Barbados and that of commercial development for the foreign market is about to come to a head.
This time the development in question is on the Southern coast, the Long Beach Environment Estate at Long Beach with a Public Town Hall Meeting at St. Christopher Primary School. The project site sits on 92 acres of land and the coastline which shapes the property consists of 20 to 30 meters of wide carbonate beach with a total length 1.6 kilometers.
At the heart of the Town Hall meeting will be Environmental Impact Assessment study which was conducted with local environmental consultants.
The upcoming development is slated to feature 30 to 50 residential/villa lots (10,000-15,000 sq.ft.), 200 room 4 or 5 star Hotel on the beach front, 215 Condominiums on the beach front (minimum 5 storeys). In addition some commercial development is also on the cards with retail shops for the community. Moreover a feature which could prove to be a hotly debated issue is a Sewage treatment plant & sewage ponds is also on the plan for the development. Three breakwaters built in the sea running parallel to the beach (Long Beach) will be featured on the development.
According to the executive summary of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the long Beach development, the underlying principle is to create a resort and residential development that is in harmony with the rich ecological setting, while enhancing the environmental and visual amenities of the area.
The concept includes elements such as; retaining approximately 15 acres of prime mature, wetlands along the base of the eastern ridge, creating 10 acres of new wetlands along the base of the western ridge and nurturing and protect mature, intact dune areas to the fullest.
