Building enforcement drive bearing fruit in Hanover
Published:Monday | January 13, 2025 | 12:06 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
Western Bureau:
Lucea Mayor Sheridan Samuels says the building enforcement drive, which was launched by the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) in the latter part of last year, is now bearing fruit, as the corporation is now getting more detailed applications and plans for construction projects.
“I am pleased to report that we have started to see the result of the drive as during the month of December, we received over 27 building applications along with several other building-related queries,” said Samuels, while addressing Thursday’s monthly meeting of the HMC.
According to Samuels, the December applications and plans represent a significant increase over those of previous years. He also stated that the corporation has no intention of easing up on its efforts to get compliance.
“For some time now, we have been having problems with persons across the parish just building structures without the necessary permits. This robust enforcement drive is aimed at protecting those persons from any eventuality,” stated Samuels.
Samuels also pointed out that the officers of the corporation are going about the enforcement drive in a very coordinated and deliberate way, saying they are now concentrating their efforts in the municipal corporation division of Cauldwell, which he represents.
“I can tell you that I am feeling the pressure, as I am getting calls left, right and centre,” explained Samuels, who said all applications – pre-approval and post-approval - will be strictly monitored.
“A number of developments that have taken place within the parish are now under the radar of the HMC, as it has been discovered that while some received approval for their developments, they have started additions to the original structure without any approval.
“It is not about we at the HMC wanting to get revenue, it is to protect the persons who are going to occupy those buildings. If the structures are not built in a particular way, their structural integrity might be in question, and we are going to have problems within the parish in case of any eventuality,” added Samuels.
Samuels also pointed out that the HMC will be taking court action against all developers who have ignored stop orders served on them for building without the requisite approvals.
“Over time, we have been serving notices, and it is just left like that. The new superintendent that we now have at the HMC will ensure that there is follow-up and court action taken against all who ignore the notices, or whenever necessary,” said Samuels.
“We are appealing to those who are building illegally, or in breach of their building approval, to come into the HMC and regularise before we have to find you,” he added.
Samuels said the HMC is giving a commitment to reducing the timeline for approval of development plans to 90 days, which he expects to be the standard by the end of the fiscal year 2025-2026.