Business BVI article on Oil Nut and Biras Creek
Pictures of Oil Nut Bay taken Sept 11th, 2007
Oil Nut Bay, Virgin Gorda
Updated Sept 7th
400 acre VG Resort Underway
By Luis Andres Henao, BVI Beacon
Development works at Oil Nut Bay in the Eastern peninsula of Virgin Gorda continue despite media reports that a "stop work order was issued to the developers by Town and Country Planning officials" The 400 acre development approved on nov 2003 would include a resort and beach club, low-density villas, a spa and fitness centre, and marine docks. Last week, a local newspaper quoted annonymous sources as saying that that developers received the stop work order after they infringed on environmental and planning laws. "that not accurate, We have not received a stop work order" said Jaime Rae Turnbull, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Victor International, the Michigan based Oil NUt Bay developer. "We're very proud of our environmental stewardship and relationship with the BVI government"
However, the project has been questioned by conservationists, who criticize the altering of a salt pond on site and the lack of what they say is a proper Environmental Impact Assessment, as well as a series of public meetings to review the projet. Dylan Penn, a Town and Country planning official in charge of EIA's, said that his office met with the developers last week to warn them that development around the salt pond is illegal. "They hadn't applied for the permission to develop around that area" Mr Thomas said. However, the development "has not stopped" and developers are allowed to continue to work on a main dock, and the "jewel boxes" a set of demo beach houses used as a promotional sales pitch. "to stop a development you have to receive a warning or a compliance order. They didn't receive any of those, so the development wasn't officially stopped" Mr Thomas said. "Once people read that their mind is set. They might thinks it's illegal" Ms. Rae Turnbull said that work around the salt pond was done following the approval plans submitted to TCP "to protect units against storn surge inundation map...the entire beachfront needs to be raised for that reason" But, Shannon Gore, a marine biologist for the Conservation and Fisheries Department, who has inspected, the area several times, said the area in question has been altered and its vegetation has been cleared out. The development has a $1 million bond to "cover penalties or repairs in the event of violations or damages" according to documents reviewed at the RCP office.
A preliminary development study by Smiths Gore Ltd, ordered by the Spanish Town Development Company LTD, refers to a "small salt pond" located at the base of a bluff overlooking Oil Nut Bay's southern coastline. "In the past" the report says, "salt ponds have frequently been tampered with, either through landfill or extraction. the government now favours retaining salt ponds in their natural state" Ms Rae Turnbull said Victor International is "committed to maintaining wetlands of higher functionality" in the property. "The existing salt pond has been environmentally engineered to perform better that it was previously when it was a salt flat. it will result in less potential long term damage to the reef" she said.
Another issue arises regarding and EIA that is required for the development project. TCP documents say that an "EIA was prepared by Island Resources Foundation for Smiths Gore Overseas LTD" But Ms Gore that that it is not a proper EIA, and that the development should be required to provide one. "That was not an EIA" she said, "it was a scoping report, a description of the project, but it's not the full EIA. TCP has to lay the terms of reference because some projects don't require it" TCP met with developers last Wednesday, but according to Ms Rae Turnbull, they never received a request for an new EIA. In a shoreline resource description prepared by marine biologist Clive Petrovic for Smiths Gore in Aug 2001, environmental considerations are identified as a "key factor in deciding the scope of the project". Mr Petrovic, an experienced diver, said that in Oil Nut Bays shallow waters "just minutes from the shore, reefs are as good as can be found anywhere" "The question then becomes how to preserve and protect all these natural wonders while still proceeding with construction activities" Mr Petrovic said in his report. "It is not only possible, but realistic...It's primarily a question of priorites...the initial access to the mangroves must proceed slowly and carefully with every precaution to minimise silt and sediments dispersed into the marine environment. All developments on land, particularily the roads and boat houses behind the mangroves must be done with great care. All landed disturbed by construction must be stabliized immediately to prevent runoff. Otherwise there is a real risk the mangroves and sea grasses will suffer or perish" Chief Planning Officer Louis Potter, who was quoted in the article that reported the stop work order as saying "The project is stopped until they get back to us", said he did not wish to comment on the statement, adding that he wasn't aware of it "You know I don't read the newspapers" he said in a telephone interview Monday. Asked if the developers were advises to stop work, he said "The records speak for themselves" and added that developers always have permission to work on the roads and buildings, and that salt ponds would be discussed in upcoming public meetings later this month.
The Publics pulse on Development
Andrew Wilkins, The Standpoint
Development has been a hot topic in the the BVI for some times now, and several recent events could change the way it moves forward. How this country develops was one of the key issues in the recent change in Government. Work was stopped at Oil Nut Bay on Virgin Gorda earlier this month, several Government insiders are upset with how development on Scrub Island is proceeding and a new environmental group won the right to have the development deal for Beef Island reviewed by a judge last week.
With so much happening in this critical topic, and the fact that how the Territory develops will chart the Virgin Island's economic, social and environmental future, the Standpoint decided to hit the streets and take the pulse of the people concerning development. Development can be good for the country if it respects the natural environment and benefits the people who live here, two women standing on Main Street agreed. And if a developer does not obtain the proper permits and follow the law, as with Oil Nut Bay, it should be stopped, one of the women said. "We must consider the repercussions on the environment" she continued. "In an industry tourism that relies on the aesthetics, the beauty of the surroundings, we cannot develop for the sake of development. We have to consider the effect on the beaches and animals and work with Conservation to make sure all goes right" A man walking down Main Street said it was important to find a balance between benefiting locals and outsiders during the new development. It is important for the politicans to think about the welfare of everyone who lives here, BVIslanders, down islanders, expats and everyone else who contributes to this nation he said. beaches like Brandywine should be better developed, he added , so cruise ship passengers don't have to travel to the other islands to have a good time. His overall attitude on development was positive. "Development is good, it will help people get jobs" said the 17 year resident, originally from Guyana.
An elderly woman, who was born on Tortola, said Main Street should be better paved and safer for pedestrians. She said she was not against development, but if damage is done to the environment, whoever is responsible should pay to have it restored. "If they mash up the reef they should pay for it" she said, referring to Scrub Island and Oil Nut Bay. "The reef has been here from time before and it is very important to the people. They should be made to pay for that." Another young man said development is good because it benefits the economy. He agreed that it is important to be careful with development because too much could ruin the natural beauty that brings people here in the first place. Many of his friends cannot find jobs, he said, and they would be happy to make their living waiting tables at one of the new tourist resorts.
Last month, work was stopped by Town and Country Plannig at Oil Nut Bay on Virgin Gorda because developers cleared land near the beach and around the salt pond without Governments approval. Loca environmentalists contend the development is illegal because a full EIA and public meetings have not been conducted.
At Scrub Island, the Standpoint reported recently that a source close to the Planning Board said several officials inside the Government want to stop the project because of the environmental damage during construction. The management of the project was served a compliance letter from C&FD in May because construction protocols were not being followed and the project did not have sufficient environmental management. A new environmental group, the Virgin Islands Environmental Council won the right to have the development agreement for a 5 star hotel at Beef Island reviewed by a judge last week., Members of the VIEC said the agreement is unlawful because the development would harm a valuable fish spawning ground protected by the Fisheries Regulations.
Update July 7th.
Sources tell us that when the Chief Minister signed this agreement in May of 2007 the following was agreed to: approval for Oil Nut Bay was subject to several conditions including an environmental management plan, implementation of an environmental monitoring team during construction, disaster management plan, erosion control measures, a $1,000,000 bond to cover penalties and repairs in the event of violations or damages and annual monetary contributions of $50,000 be made towards the development of a community project in North Sound Virgin Gorda over the next 5 years. None of which has even been mentioned by anyone And, apparently, none of this is being done. Why?
Here are a couple websites with more details on the project
Interestingly, plans for this development call for 18 villas with swimming pools along the beach. Amazing how villa's along the beach each need a swimming pool!
Back in 2001 there was some EIA and other reports down on Oil Nut Bay, here are the papers on those.
field observations on Oil Nut Bay area 2001
Ralph Oneals report on North Sound 1972
Update June 16th.
Oil Nut Bay- The dock there was approved 3-4 years ago for another project, but clearing of land is illegal as there has been no EIA.
A couple people have been asking us what is going on at Oil Nut Bay on Virgin Gorda, so island gossip says, that there was never an Environmental Impact Assessment done on this area, and since the agreement was signed about 4 years ago, it was not required at the time. Rumor also says that they are now associated with Biras Creek, in the development and there has been an side agreement, so to speak with the Chief Minister on this and Nail Bay at Virgin Gorda. On island it is said that there is a "bait and switch" going on, and that the developers are confidentially now going ahead in a game of "out of sight and out of mind" with a development that could potentially be much larger than anything happening on Scrub Island. Coconut telegraph on island says that they are planning on getting a dredger into Eustatia Sound and dug out before ANYONE notices or kicks up a fuss! SOMEONE must know something about this!!
When Biras Creek was sold this past year, it was bought by Victor International LTD in Michigan. The sale also included about 400 acres on Oil Nut Bay. This will create a HUGE resort, which NOONE has been informed about!
I was also told that Conservation and Fisheries went to Oil Nut Bay on information that bulldozing has started, and that Town and Country Planning ordered them to stop pending an EIA. Neither Oil Nut Bay or Nail Bay has an EIA.
Someone had their trusty camera up there to take some photographs, and we are looking where to get FACTS instead of rumor on what is going on.
The bulldozers were full speed ahead cutting roads everywhere May 22nd. There were three bulldozers plowing and a rock breaking machine
The survey markers are everywhere including on the tree that has the swing.
The roads do look about as good as the ones at Nail Bay.
However, it was very suprising to see a full finished Deep Water Marina, down to the cleats and lights. Of course, there is NOTHING on land, not even a marina office of any type, it is just a marina in the middle of nowhere at the moment, which leads one to believe that the developers knew that they may have a problem with a dock, so they did it before anything else, why???
For those looking for information on this project, there is a website at Oil Nut Bay Estates.
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