The Pegasus Hotel’s US$100 million expansion plan was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since last year, according to acting EPA Executive Director Kemraj Parsram, who says that the developer has assured that the project would not affect the nearby sea defence.
Last week, the expansion plan for the hotel was launched.
The expansion will see the hotel upgraded to a seven-storey, state-of-the-art corporate office complex adjacent to a fifteen-storey tower offering luxury residential accommodation. All of the buildings will be accommodated on the eastern part of the property.
As a result, questions were raised about whether the construction of the facility and its presence close to the sea shore would pose any risk to the sea defence.
When questioned on Monday, Parsram told Stabroek News that the expansion project was approved since last year. He noted that since it is an existing facility, the proprietor had to apply for a variance.
“…And they would’ve submitted some documentation to show us what it is and they would’ve gotten the permit,” he said, while pointing out that from the documentation the proprietor would’ve showed that the expansion would not negatively affect the integrity of the sea defence.
He also added that the Sea Defence Board would have also scrutinised the documentation.
Hotel proprietor Robert Badal had explained that the complex will offer the most innovative, mixed-use facilities on par with any first world facility of the same nature but with complementary food and entertainment facilities currently offered by the Pegasus Hotel.
Its construction will be facilitated through financing by Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd and would see China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) executing the construction works. The facilities will also be equipped with the latest building management systems and a curtain wall providing floor to ceiling views of the Atlantic Ocean and the city of Georgetown’s skyline.
The facility will also transition towards green energy and Badal said that it will have a 30,000 square feet solar panel system for power.
It is set to begin sometime this month, with an estimated timeframe of three years. The seven-storey building is set to be completed within the first two and a half years while the high rise building would be finished in the remaining six months.
