KSAC promises more demolitions

A building consisting of 30 studio apartments, which the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC) claims is constructed on less than a quarter acre of land, is one of three structures the council is moving to demolish.

However, it could take some time before the KSAC is able to demolish the building, located in the vicinity of University Grove, because the developer has gone to court to halt the process.

The other two buildings, according to Town Clerk Errol Greene, are located along Old Hope Road, near the Caledonia Road intersection, and in Grants Pen.

Greene, who was speaking at a Gleaner Editors' Forum at the company's North Street offices on Friday, said the KSAC has already secured court orders to proceed with the demolition of all three buildings.

In addition, he disclosed that the KSAC has obtained court orders to demolish other buildings, but said those cases are on hold because the owners have filed appeals.

Greene said the Grants Pen building posed a danger to residents because it is "perilously perched" on the bank of the gully and indicated that there were plans to demolish it on the weekend.

He said those plans were put on hold because the KSAC was still calculating the cost to carry out the demolition.

"You can't just go in like that. You have to mobilise (people) and put the equipment in place," he said, adding that the demolition could take place in two weeks.

Numerous stop orders

Greene said the building at University Grove was completed, even though the developer was served with numerous stop orders.

"Even when the building was about 80 per cent completed, we were still serving him notice and he still went through with it," he asserted.

Today marks the start of a six-week amnesty announced by the KSAC to allow developers to have their illegal projects regularised.

According to the KSAC, 80 per cent of all developments taking place in the Corporate Area are being done without the requisite approvals.

In the last two weeks, the KSAC has demolished two multimillion-dollar buildings in St Andrew that were erected in violation of the city's Town and Country Planning Act.

One of the buildings was located along South Avenue while the other, a 44-room dwelling the KSAC said was approved as a two-bedroom house, was located on Coleyville Avenue.