Campaigners press on against Emerald Sound
(CNS): Following the news that government will not be approving the coastal works license for a controversial development in South Sound, local activists have now switched the focus of the campaign towards the new road plans associated with the project. The Protect South Sound movement is encouraging people to write to the National Roads Authority before next Wednesday’s deadline on the proposed road move connected to the Emerald Sound development which was approved by the CPA. The community action group has created a template letter which it hopes those against the proposal, which includes a swap of public land, will sign before the NRA approves the move.
Protect South Sound members will be making an appearance at Azzuro Restaurant in Buckingham Square, Seven Mile Beach, on Saturday with the letters encouraging everyone to sign and make their objections to the plans known to the National Roads Authority.
The recent revelation that the UDP does not support the coastal works element has put a hold on the plan to cut a channel from the ocean into the heart of the development and associated coastal works, canals and bridge, but the architect and spokesperson for developer, Burns Conolly, has stated that the landside of the development will go ahead.
The National Roads Authority (NRA) has published notice that it intends to enter into an agreement with the developer R.C. Estates Ltd to adjust the boundary of about 2,300 feet of South Sound Road immediately West of the Old Crewe Road and South Sound Road junction.
This means the land where the existing road currently lies would be exchanged for an equivalent amount of land currently owned by R.C. Estates Ltd, without any payment based on the equality of exchange, providing for the boundaries of the South Sound Road to be adjusted, in accordance with the plans which were approved by the Central Planning Authority.
People affected by the proposed agreement can make valid representations to the NRA, which under the law it must take into account before the swap goes ahead. Plans for the proposed land exchange can be inspected at the offices of the NRA during office hours.
The Protect South Sound group, which has appealed CPA’s decision to grant planning permission to Emerald Sound, said the objection to the road move is the next step in continued fight against the development.
Category: Local News
Can we please at least make sure that the new road is open and operational before they do anything with the exisitng road? I don't think anyone east of Grand Harbour is interested in yet longer traffic jams…
let me translate:
protect south sound = protect existing inflated south sound property prices……
The original petition against this development includes the movement of the road……what do the people of Cayman get in return? The developer gets extra space for his coastal side properties but the average joe gets nothing…….let the developer build on his property but not on the property belonging to the Crown……
What difference does it make? The developer owns the land on both sides of the road, and there will still be a road, so why does the precise location of the road through his property make any difference to anyone?
I could understand it if he was trying to move the stretch of road to the west of Bel Air Drive and the view would be lost as a result, but there is no view now and the house lots on the sea side of this stretch are already there. The real irony in this is that half of the nimbys who are protesting against this live on beach side lots that only exist because of previous road moves!
Excuse me… UDP… are you there? Can you please get at least one project off the ground before you're booted off the island? All projects so far were held up by some MOU not being fulfilled…one finally gets through and you stop it in its tracks for no reason what so ever…If its a good project, approve it… if it's not, don't…..simple.
I think it's beyond belief how Emerald Sound was harrased so much all along its way to approval and the captains sail right on through with getting their port approved.
NIMBY ALL THE WAY!
These are the most hypocritical folks to date. First they were against digging in the sound, then they were against cutting the road and canal, then they were against a bridge, and now they are against moving the road. Soon they will be against the housing there.
Clearly these folks are just against Mr. Hislop doing ANYTHING in their backyard! Its the good folks of south sound against anything there, now that they have their little spot out there. The truth finally surfaces.
Mr Hislop can do anything he likes in his back yard….he just shouldn't be allowed to do it on the land belonging to the Crown….
Why would anyone other than the developer (and those directly involved) thumbs down this comment??? ???
Azzuro? My only comment would be why not have it somewhere that locals go, like Welly's Cool Spot? It's the locals against the project right? *rolls eyes*
I can't speak for the 'locals' like yourself but as a 7th generation Caymanian I've been to Azzuro more recently than I've been to Welly's. *rolls eyes*
Because how many generations you've been here matters? My Great (x8) Grandfather helped Columbus dock his boat at Northwest Point, and we all love us some Welly's.
no riif raff wanted at azzurro …thank you
Headline should read "Campaigners press on against Emerald Sound, For Cayman Alliance, Dart, Dr Shetty, Recylcing, Port, etc" One thing we do well in Cayman is tear each other down. If keeping crabs in a bucket was a woldwide sport then we would have some SERIOUS gold medalists right here in this ye small island.
I thought this group was only against cutting the land with the canal and digging in the sound. This move seems to be against the land development also contrary to what was said by them.
READ THE ORIGINAL PETITION WORDING
So fast to attack people without a scap of research. Typical.
The original petition was addressed to the CPA AND the NRA and always included objection to the road move in addition to canal/marina, bridge, dredging.
The original petition was always addressed to the NRA and the objectors have always stated thier opposition to the road move in addition to the canal, dredging, bridge.
'The purpose of this petition is to express the objection of the undersigned residents of South Sound and the surrounding communities to the proposed development of Emerald Sound. This petition will be presented on behalf of the signatories to the Premier, Deputy Premier, Ministers of Cabinet, George Town MLAs, the Department of the Environment, Coastal Works, The Water Authority, The National Roads Authority, and the Planning Department.'
http://www.petitiononline.com/ci345es/
This is the problem with this country now, everybody is against everything and has this Government scared *%/-less. I thought the campaigners said they were not against development but they clearly are.
Nimby, geesh, this is getting really old
getting old and we are getting poorer.