(CNS): Premier André Ebanks has become the latest leader of the Cayman Islands to join the call to allow for taller buildings because land is not infinite, a view shared by several of his predecessors and the islands’ wealthy landowners and developers.
During a speech at the annual Chamber of Commerce Legislative Lunch earlier this month, Ebanks said Cayman needs to consider the possibility that it needs taller buildings, and that planning legislation was being reviewed.
Ebanks spoke about the importance of balancing development with environmental protection — even though the scales have always been tipped heavily in favour of development.
He also indicated that he is inclined towards the argument for tall buildings, echoing comments from his predecessors, including McKeeva Bush, who raised building heights to allow for ten-storey buildings, which marked the beginning of the end of Seven Mile Beach views for the majority of residents.
Sir Alden McLaughlin, when he was premier, backed Dart’s plans for an “iconic” tower of 50 storeys or more. But tall buildings raise many concerns, including aesthetics, the loss of beach access, the dangers of undermining water tables, destabilised foundations, and the Cayman Islands Fire Service’s ability to respond to emergencies in the upper floors.
Buildings have been creeping up in height for decades. The Ritz Carlton, which opened in 2005, was the first five-storey building on Seven Mile Beach. Amendments to the law in March 2002 allowed for buildings up to seven storeys in downtown George Town and selected commercial and hotel zones, and further amendments in July 2010 allowed buildings of up to ten storeys.
Since then, tinkering with the regulations to allow the addition of facilities on rooftops and underground parking has encouraged developers to submit projects that exceed the actual legal heights.
The proposal to redevelop the ageing Aqua Bay condos on the northern end of Seven Mile Beach began with a building that was effectively twelve storeys high. The Central Planning Authority knocked that back, but approved a revised plan, though it remains subject to a legal challenge.
Since developers want to maximise profit on their projects, they are expected to keep pushing for a change in the law to allow taller buildings, even as it remains controversial.
Speaking to the Chamber audience, Ebanks noted that land in the Cayman Islands is finite and building taller buildings is the probable solution. “The question is, where you go higher, and how high? But we have to face that as a country,” the premier added. “We need to bridge the gap between development and the environment. It’s a thorny issue, but it need not be.”
But his administration has become one of a long line that has failed to implement the necessary policies and legislation to give the environment sufficient weight to counter Cayman’s continued growth and runaway development.
He said that his colleague, Planning Minister Jay Ebanks, and Chief Officer Eric Bush are still working on revamping planning legislation and developing the new National Development Plan, which is now expected to be tabled in Parliament by early 2027, by which time the current woefully outdated plan that is still governing development will be thirty years old.
Ebanks shared with the audience that he had enjoyed a recent birthday vacation with his family in Alaska, where he had seen the impact of global warming and the need to take care of the environment.
However, noting the need to build affordable homes, he said he was “considering” the possibility of offering developers an expedited building approvals process in return for additional investment in low-cost housing. But this obviously means tying that to even more luxury development, compounding the existing problem.
Ebanks said that with this business certainty, builders could avoid risking large sums on a project being delayed and instead spend less on providing affordable government housing as part of their planned project.
As the premier spoke about myriad of problems relating to growth, development, housing shortages and the significant and growing environmental challenges, he pointed out that these problems are not only the government’s to solve. “We can’t get to it all on our own,” he said, as he urged the business community to do more to help address these issues.