The government has unveiled plans to transform the Perry Bay-Keeling Point area of St. John's into a mixed-use development featuring a marina, residential housing, commercial lots and tourism facilities. According to Antigua News Room, Cabinet has endorsed the vision while requiring environmental impact assessments before any construction begins.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant announced the proposal at Thursday's post-Cabinet media briefing, stating that Prime Minister Gaston Browne updated ministers on the planned redevelopment of the western section of the capital.
Merchant said the project will encompass the Perry Bay-Keeling Point area adjacent to the Multi-Purpose Cultural and Exhibition Centre, extending westward as part of the government's broader strategy to stimulate economic growth and expand housing opportunities.
"The development will include a new residential housing community, a marina and commercial lots designed to attract investment, create employment for the people of that area and support sustainable economic growth," Merchant said.
The development is also expected to generate employment opportunities and drive economic activity in the surrounding communities, he added.
While Cabinet endorsed the redevelopment vision, ministers agreed that detailed concept designs must first be presented to them as planning progresses. Cabinet also approved a requirement for comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessments to be completed before any work proceeds.
"The assessments will inform the planning process and ensure that environmental considerations are fully integrated into the final designs," Merchant said.
During the question-and-answer session following the briefing, Merchant indicated that preliminary designs for the redevelopment are expected to be unveiled within the next few weeks.
Merchant also addressed concerns about residents currently occupying sections of the proposed development area, acknowledging that the presence of squatters would need to be resolved as part of the project.
"The government cannot just simply remove individuals to go and squat elsewhere," he said, adding that the administration intends, where possible, to incorporate those residents into its housing programme and provide them with the opportunity to own homes.
"Somehow, it will try to incorporate the individuals who are currently there to give them the opportunity to own their properties and to live in a humane fashion," Merchant said.
The Director General stressed that the government views the site as holding significant untapped potential. "That area, the government believes, presents great potential for development, not only in housing but also economically," he said, noting that forthcoming designs will offer the public a clearer picture of the administration's vision.
The Perry Bay redevelopment forms part of a broader programme of national development projects the government is pursuing, several of which Cabinet has directed must undergo comprehensive environmental review before construction begins.
