AN UNRELEASED Government-commissioned report on the effects of large-scale developments on coastal areas recommended that the size of the Bahia Principe hotel in St. Ann be reduced and that the developers provide some beach access for the general public.
The report, a copy of which was obtained by The Gleaner, was done by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) and was commissioned before the construction of the hotel ever started. However, the final draft of the report, dated July 2005, has never been released to the public.
The report also recommended that the plans to build a golf course on the hotel site in Pear Tree Bottom be scrapped and that arrangements be made for guests to make use of existing courses in the area.
According to the report: "The size of the project should be reduced to comply with the St. Ann Development Order Schedule for Runaway Bay."
The document also stated that the resort area should not extend beyond the area modified by the previous owner.
It went on to recommend that: "In addition to preserving the remaining wetlands, the new owners should be encouraged to restore as large an area of mangrove as possible."
The study was commis-sioned by the Government to make recommendations aimed at avoiding or minimising conflicts among existing and potential land resource users. It was also intended to guide the pace and nature of development to minimize adverse effects. However, it was not clear whether the recom-mendations had been taken on board.
CONTROVERSY
The construction of the Bahia Principe hotel has been shrouded in controversy, with local environmental activists taking court action to force a review of the procedures followed before the environmental permit was granted to the developers.
The court action threatened to stunt the development of the hotel. However, a recent ruling in the case gave the developers, Hotels Jamaica Pinero, the go-ahead to resume construction.
The PIOJ report also raised concerns about other coastal areas for which large scale development projects are planned. For instance, it stated that Harmony Cove in Trelawny, an area slated for large-scale development, be treated with extreme care to preserve as much of the area's natural beauty as possible. It said that any development in that area should leave a large portion of the landscape in its natural state.
