(CMR) Coe Group Limited has been granted permission by the Central Planning Authority to construct the Barkers Beach Resort on Conch Point Drive in West Bay.
Coe Group sought permission to build a hotel, restaurant, pool, cabanas, LPG tanks, and sign on the property that already has a two-story structure. However, previous applications were refused because they did not comply with the minimum required setback from the sea or high watermark per Regulation 8(10)(e) of the Development and Planning Regulations. However, approval was granted last month after the developers made some adjustments to its previous application.
The Authority said it considered the application for the $12M development and determined that planning permission would be granted as the application complies with the Development and Planning Regulations (2022 Revision).
According to the minutes of the CPA January 4 meeting, the Authority said while the existing building does not comply with the minimum required HWM and side setbacks, it is existing, and the applicant is not proposing to change the footprint of the building's walls. All new buildings comply with the minimum required HWM and side setbacks, with the exception of a tiny area of the proposed new building that connects to the existing building.
Conditions of Approval
The approval was granted with several conditions to be addressed prior to the commencement of any site preparation work, such as clearing, filling, and grading, and before permit drawings can be submitted to the Department of Planning.
One of the conditions of approval requires two parking spaces to be deleted/relocated in order to ensure proper functionality. The Authority indicated that it is satisfied with the amount and location of off-site parking per regulation. The Authority is also of the view that the proposed signage is acceptable.
The Department of Environmental Health has approved the location of the solid waste enclosure, and conditions of approval have been included to address agency concerns where necessary.
The CPA said it considered the comments from the Department of Environment, in particular, the need to avoid development in or alteration of the beach ridge. While the CPA noted that the DOE did not impose directed conditions, given the adjacency to a Marine Protected Area, the CPA determined that there shall be no new development or alteration of the remaining beach ridge. The only exception to this is the very small area of the proposed new building that connects to the existing building.
The CPA determined that this variance is negligible and is located landward of the existing building. In addition, the CPA decided that it would otherwise be difficult for the applicant to connect the existing and proposed structures.
The CPA further determined that the applicant needs to ensure the protection of the remaining beach ridge on the site and has provided conditions to address this. The CPA requires the submission of detailed surveys and revised plans to address concerns about the location of the existing beach ridge and existing buildings on the proposed site plan.
The CPA also requires that the proposed outdoor bar be either deleted or relocated to be wholly contained within the footprint of the existing structure.
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