Illegal construction of apartment building continues despite several regulatory breaches
I am a resident of Lindley Ave. Nandy Park, E.B.D. In this residential area, a property located at 139 Lindley Ave. is being amended to a huge apartment complex of twenty or more rooms. This is a clear violation of the land use for this area. It has breached boundary regulations as the wall is 4 feet away from their next-door neighbour’s fence. There have been numerous letters to the Environmental Health Officer, the Chairman of the Eccles NDC, and Minister Nigel Dharamlall since the Month of May 2022 as it relates to the illegal construction of this property. The construction of the building continues despite several regulatory breaches.
Upon enquiry, the Environmental Health Officer of Eccles NDC indicated that the plan is lost, and that it was approved. A letter was written to the Ministry of Housing in early July who subsequently indicated that the letter was lost, and another letter was submitted on 15th August. CH&PA also indicated that approval for construction is still pending and that the contractors should not have proceeded without approval. As a last resort to get the Government Institutions to enforce the law, letters were also sent to the President and Vice President of Guyana.
The builder is understood to be an Eccles NDC councillor who oversaw the breach in the boundary regulation. Sources have indicated that the previous owner sold the building to an American company and to get proof of ownership one would need to go to the High Court. The significant number of units in this apartment will clearly not meet the parking regulations, as parking space will be required for 20 or more vehicles.
Summary of the illegal construction include illegal land use. This is a residential zone. Apartment complexes with a significant number of tenants are not permitted in residential zones. This apartment complex is not in compliance with the parking regulations. A significant number of tenants in the apartments will result in parking congestion and disrupt the quiet nature of Lindley Avenue.
The construction is very close to neighbours’ fence and not within the legal boundary limits, a clear violation. This is a serious fire hazard and breach of fire regulations. This would cause a significant alteration of the community structure. Lindley Avenue and surroundings are residential homes with single families and good neighbourly relations.
Creates other types of nuisances, changes the designated land use of the area, and results in a reduction of the property value of homes in Lindley Ave. The design of the building, a large three-story rectangular building, is not consistent with that of the residential homes in the area. One would hope that the institutions of Guyana would be able to apply the laws of Guyana to benefit its citizens. Instead, the institutions are bending the rules to benefit the powerful and wealthy.
It seems apparent that there is some form of “Institutional lawlessness’’ at the Eccles NDC to allow for the construction without the requisite approval from CH&PA, and a breach of boundary regulations. An intervention on this matter is needed urgently to direct the relevant institutions to act swiftly to apply the laws of
Guyana and to act without prejudice or favour. A cease order to this construction needs to be implemented immediately to allow Nandy Park to maintain its residential structure that it had since its conceptualization more than 50 years ago.