| By Leonard GildarieIn recent months, we have been receiving quite a number of queries on house lot applications, contractors and new housing schemes. I have attempted to answer the questions based on what is available, and as they pertain to the Guyana situation. We have also been receiving a number of queries on the issue of gated communities. However, I have stayed far from it… until now.Based on research, there has been the continued debate as to whether gated communities are good for societies, with the main argument against them being that they close off society from a certain group of people.Today, I want to make it clear that I am neither encouraging nor advocating against the gated communities. My personal feelings are that one has a right to decided where and how he/she wants to live…whether on the streets, in gated communities, up in the hills or on a houseboat.An artist’s impression of Windsor Estate’s North Haven gated community upon completion.There are a number of ways in which homes can be owned in Guyana. You can buy one from another person or you can build one. In the latter case, there are a number of ways that land is made available. There are either from private land owners who are selling portions of their holdings, or from Government. In the private landowner scenario, there are a few cases of these being converted to house lots and sold individually or in parcels.However, the Government programmes have been the most popular. Government has allocated portions of land, especially on the East Bank of Demerara, for private development. It has also retained portions which are made into lots and have been allocated or will be allocated.For the Government house lots, applications have to be made at the Ministry of Housing’s Central Housing and Planning Authority. Government is also building a number of turn-key homes on the East Bank of Demerara.Several private developers who have been allocated pieces of land for development under a public-private partnership arrangement, including Green Acres and Windsor Estates, are offering homes in gated communities.According to Windsor Estates, it is building its gated community behind Republic Park, East Bank Demerara, in two phases. The first, called North Haven, offers 24-hour security at the entrance, street lighting and night vision Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras “strategically” placed in various areas of the development to give residents “more peace of mind”. Back-up power is to be available for security gate and CCTV cameras.This area will also have its own recreation park, with a swimming pool, showers and changing rooms, a playground, water feature, park benches and a walking track. According to Windsor’s website, all public areas will have professional landscaping with palm trees, flowers, plants and lush green lawns which will be maintained year around.The second phase, Esplanade, is catering for a higher end/exclusive suburban living “offering residents a rewarding life style of elegance and sophistication.” Windsor is promising state-of-the-art features, including 24-hour security, a recreation park with a children’s play area, a clubhouse with a swimming pool, a lounge, a movie room, game room, and a rooftop bar.“We are adding an infra red security system that will be mounted on top of the entire perimeter fence to add another level of security for your protection. Sidewalks will be added to both sides of the road and all drains will be enclosed to give an elegant feel to the community.”Green Acres will be by far the largest community built by Buddy’s Housing Development. Buddy’s is promising this gated community to be “complete with paved roads, streetlamps,Jerseys NFL Wholesale China, and a shopping complex which will allow basic services to be easily within reach. There will be access to a swimming pool, tennis court and a basketball court. It is located within a “two minutes” drive to the “Guyana National Stadium as well as the Princess International Hotel, multiple service stations and local schools”.In researching gated communities, I came across this: “These types of communities are typically residential communities in which public access by nonresidents is restricted, usually by physical boundaries, such as gates, walls, and fences, or through private security. These communities sometimes require a special entry system, such as entry codes, key cards, or security guard approval.”I am going to stop there. I saw the housing scheme that Buddy’s built at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara. My memory tells me that it would be a decade ago that that scheme was established. I use the words scheme loosely, as someone could also argue it has some semblance to a gated community as there is a guard hut at the entrance. The roads seem pretty decent. I am not sure about crime in the area. I know one person had complained of a car wash operation being a nuisance. Most of the homes have been upgraded.Gated communities are nothing new across the US and other developed countries. Some common advantages include reduced traffic, which impact positively on the noise level. Residents with children often feel this arrangement also provides a safer playing environment for their kids. There are rules in which residents must also follow including cleanliness and appearance and noise level from music. There are also what some might call “negatives” including high-than-average prices for properties and a possible fee for security and essential maintenance.There are some questions to be asked before buying a home in a gated community. Are there any guarantees that the developers will deliver the other amenities, like a promised pool and playground? Who pays for security? How much will it cost monthly for maintenance? What are the security arrangements?But perhaps the most important question for me is who is in charge of the infrastructure, like the roads in the gated community. I am aware that the NDCs have some jurisdiction over the areas. Once the roads go bad, and they will, who repairs them? Will it be the NDC or the developer? There are a host of other questions.For me, I would love to live in a gated community…once there is a guarantee of total quiet. I like the peace, after a hard day’s work. How would I know that an industrial site would not be built next door?So yes, the questions will be many. We will have to explore this topic more next week and maybe talk to the folks at Green Acres and Windsor Estates.Enjoy the weekend and don’t forget to drop your comments as usual to [email protected] |
