Properties Jamaica | Jamaica Real Estate Portal

Jamaica’s National Housing Trust (NHT) has said that it has paused five housing development projects valued at J$1.3 billion. Why? Difficult topography and infrastructure constraints made the developments too costly.

The projects are at Eltham Farm in St. Catherine, Rosemount 5 in St. James, Ridge Estate in St. Ann, Granville in Trelawny, and Cousins Cove in Hanover.

The Eltham Farm project was to have 44 units – with a mix of two- and three-bedroom townhouses. Its original completion date was April 2008. It is on hold until the National Water Commission rehabilitates the Eltham Farm Sewage Treatment Plant to which the new housing scheme will need to connect.

The Ridge Estate project had an original completion date of December 2009. This project however faces two challenges – (1) the availability of potable water supply and (2) the need to rehabilitate three kilometres of access road to the development.

The Rosemount 5 project had an original completion date of July 2010, but has been put on hold due to the area’s rocky terrain. The NHT said that this makes the infrastructure cost very high. This project is currently being reviewed.

The Cousins Cove project is on hold pending a site feasibility assessment, as well as the result of a detailed demand-and-affordability survey. Its original completion date was December 2010.

The NHT has said however that all the projects are scheduled to recommence within the next two to three years.