Little Bay Lambert Bay, Tortola
Link to an article in the BVI Standpoint Nov 17th, on Little Bay
Approx 90 people attended a Public Meeting Nov 8 on the proposed gated community at the above. The plan by CDS development wants to build Lambert Sandcatle Estate which will have 13 single family units, a gatehouse and rec facilities on 9.3 acres.
This will be next door to the proposed large development of Raffles at Lambert Resort. Raffles wants to build 250 units with a hotel and spa.
Town and Country had asked for speakers to register in advance and the main concerns were the fact that it is nesting grounds for Leatherback turtles, the problems with erosion control and silt curtains and the density of the development. Between the two developments, the increase in lights will have a negative impact on the turtles who are sensitive to light in finding their way to their nests.
The development has already started buiding a spec house, which they were given permission for from Town and Country. They have not been given permission to build the rest yet, but they are busy clearing and leveling land.
Jaime Cruz, Project Engineer and main speaker for the developers described the planned boardwalk that will allow public access as an amenity to the project. “It (the boardwalk) is something that can be enjoyed by the residents and the community and the public visiting our beach.”
Jane Bakewell, one of the registered speakers against the density of the project informed Mr. Cruz, “There is no our beach in the BVI, all the beaches belongs to BVIslanders.” Her family sold the property to the developers with the assurance that the homes constructed would be in harmony with the environment. Bakewell brought her late father’s favorite hat to the meeting to ensure his voice would be heard and began her speech with a chronological time line of Little Bay.
“If the developers had come at this with the thought of what we were originally told when my family sold the land that it was going to be five to six residential house that could be arranged with the appropriate environmental protection,” Ms. Bakewell told the audience. She feels the proposed development is hugely out of scale, unnecessary and burdensome for that little valley.
“Don’t be fooled the reason this project have gotten so little attention is the fact that development is taking place in a small bay most people don’t visit regularly out of the public eye.” Ms. Bakewell added.
Mr. Cruz said the home owners association will set the rules for the public accessing the beach and the BVI Government Town and Country Chief Planner Louis Potter made it clear that the public will have access to the beach.
There seems to be a lot of people locally who have taken exception to the statement Mr Cruz made about the public visiting "our beach" as it is NOT their beach, but a public beach. There also seems to be a lot of questions on WHY a home owners association would be setting the rules for the public visiting the beach. The Leatherback turtles are on the brink of extinction already and it is felt that this will put another nail in the coffin of their extinction locally.
The 4300 to 7500 square feet homes will take years to complete and are expected to cost around 5 to 6 million dollars.
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