By Roy Sanford, Staff Reporter

WHILE THERE is little sign of development in Toll Gate, Westmoreland, there are clear signs that a major community could be in the making as the outline for the houses to be built is already in place.

The emerging community, which is located close to the new Frome Technical High School, features two houses which are near completion, two in the early stages of construction and another six in varying stages of construction.

From all indications, Toll Gate seems set to become an upscale residential area based on the size of the houses under construction. The two completed structures are massive, and those still under construction appear to be quite large.

A GHETTO COMMUNITY

In Grotto, which sits adjacent the parish capital of Savanna-la-Mar, the area looks more like a ghetto community than one that is poised for major development. The houses seen were mostly small wooden structures surrounded by a few concrete structures under construction.

One resident, who spoke to The Gleaner, said he was not aware of any plans to create a major housing project in the area.

In terms of amenities, the area has electricity, water and telephones. However, like most inner-city areas, there were signs of illegal connections leading from the rugged roads into some of the homes.

While the signs of wealth were quite limited, The Gleaner observed some amount of commercial activity in the area. A few garages, grocery shops and hairdressing parlours were seen strategically placed across the community.