A private development project on Virgin Gorda has opted for a unique style of hillside construction that may very well be the first of its kind in the Virgin Islands.

The Aquasur Development is a proposed project which is still to receive the approval of the Planning Authority, but once approved, will see the construction of four bungalows (bedroom units) with two-thirds of the structure hidden within the hill at Pond Bay on a 4.8 acres beachfront property.

Yates Construction has been hired to build the bungalows and according to Christina Yates, the entire project will be environmentally safe.

“I know this is something that may have never been done in the BVI before, but it is a unique way and we believe that we have developed a safe construction plan which will be undertaken without destroying the cliff. What we remove from the cliff will be replaced,” Yates stated.

She outlined that the construction will start by removing a section of the hill by a series of blasts and drilling techniques.

Once a cut has been made, Yates said that the section of the hill removed will then be relocated to a temporary storage area.

Therefore, when construction has been completed, the material removed will then be brought back to the hill and reinserted.

“We intend to use blast mats to ensure that nothing is washed away into the sea below.  This is going to be a very expensive type of structure, yet environmentally sound. It is going to be a challenging project, but a very fun one too,” Yates acknowledged.

The project, which comprises a  suite of small buildings nestled into the hillside, will encompass  a main dining and recreation area, a  beach house with sun deck, storage for water toys and a helicopter pad, which the developers say will only be utilised twice monthly.

Yates explained that keeping in harmony with the environment, “green  roofing technology” will be used on all of the dwellings.

There were immediate concerns that the Aquasur Property and several neighbouring private properties, including the recently developed Blue Sand Villa are within the boundaries of a proposed protected area under the National Parks System Plan, which was passed in January of this year.

However, Dr. Lianna Jarecki, a private consultant who conducted the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project said that the National Parks Trust, after consultation regarding the issue, agreed to remove the Aquasur property from the Systems Plan.

“The National Parks Trust agreed that the project should go ahead as long as the development is in keeping with the purpose of the protected area which is to preserve the natural landscape and seascape,” Dr. Jarecki explained to Virgin Gorda residents during a recent meeting held to peruse the project.

She explained that the project will improve quality of terrestrial habitat by removing goats from property and subsequent fencing of the property.

Additionally, the developers have estimated that a minimum of 30 percent of native plants will be used for landscaping.

According to Dr. Jarecki, soil erosion will be controlled by minimising land clearing, installing silt fences along the coastline and southern border along the salt pond and employing an experienced civil engineer to design erosion control plans and a water drainage plan, which eill ensure that water run-off is directed to the wetland rather than to the sea.

“There are some significant benefits associated with the project as well as significant negative impacts, all of which can be mitigated to protect the social and natural environment. 

The magnitude of predicted residual impacts is below average in comparison with other developments in the BVI,” Dr. Jarecki stated.  

She added that residual impacts will be reduced through strict adherence to the implementation of the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA, and the developers have shown a strong commitment to this goal.

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