The Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) said it served notice on Shamnarine Narine, of Guyana Tractor and Equipment Company, about the unauthorised construction at Plot ‘HN’ Industrial Reserve, Plantation Ruimveldt on Friday.
A press release from the CH&PA said Narine was ordered to cease all activities (Development/Construction work) with immediate effect under the Town and Country Planning Act. The notice was signed for and received by an excavator operator who is in the employ of Narine.
The CH&PA said Narine submitted an application to the CH&PA for full approval of Planning Permission on April 30th, 2018, to erect a two-storey building for commercial use as a convenience store on the ground floor and offices on the first floor and to install four fuel pumps and three underground tanks for kerosene, gasoline and diesoline for use as a Gas Station.
On May 11th, 2018, the release explained, the convenience store and offices were recommended for approval on the condition that the developer amended plans in accordance with recommendations from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure indicating no access from Mandela Avenue. The gas station was, however, rejected on the basis that the site is still not appropriate for such a development, since it cannot be accessed from the Mandela Avenue, which is the main thoroughfare (access must be from a main thoroughfare); and that the proposed means of access (Plumbago Street and the roadway) are minor streets that cannot function as means of ingress and egress since they are not suitable and inappropriate.
The CH&PA also noted that residents of Shirley Field-Ridley Square, South Ruimveldt, in a petition to the agency, rejected the construction of the gas station and the convenience store and offices. Further, the CH&PA said it is concerned with the destruction that was caused to the road and road shoulders by heavy-duty equipment used by Narine to drive piles into the ground.
