MONTEGO BAY- Gore Developments Ltd this week inched closer to the November deadline for the handing over of the 392 units in the first phase of their $5B Bogue Village housing development. Keys have now been handed over to the first 18 homeowners that will live on block A, another 19 units in Block B will be handed over by February 18th and there will be a steady stream of handouts until the first phase is completed.

“We are trying to deliver all units of phase 1, which is 392 units, by the 6th of November this year, barring any unforeseen problems with weather,” explained director Christopher Gore, shortly before the first units were officially handed over Monday.

They have had less than favourable weather conditions to date, but the Kingston-based developers are optimistic that they will be able to keep on schedule and deliver all 1,623 two-bedroom homes within the four-year timeframe targeted.

They are also hoping that their relationship with their workers and unions will prevent any industrial action on the site, a problem that has plagued most major construction projects in the western city.

Gore now has about 40 workers on the payroll, with another 160 employed to subcontractors. And when the project hits peak in about another month, the total workforce will climb to about 400.

Bogue Village, a part of an ambitious plan to expand the congested resort city to the south, offers 680 square- foot homes on lots of 3,500 square feet or more. Homeowners will be able to expand up and back, but must retain the architectural style of the front.

And while the development obviously fills a gap in the demand-driven housing market, some have expressed concern about its proximity to the sewerage ponds, which have been known to emit a foul odour.

But according to chairman Richard Gore, these concerns have not hindered sales as the first phase is already completely sold out. He added that they had done their research and the ponds will not be a problem.

“We have sold out phase one in record time… people have come up here, they look at the product, they smell, they are trying to see if there is any odour but there has not been any negative feedback,” he told the Observer. “And people look at it as being something attractive in that they look like ponds, not necessarily sewerage ponds.”

The ponds had teething pains when they were just opened, something the National Water Commission has blamed on improper usage and the theft of the lining. The utility company countered with a public education campaign to tell the public about proper usage and fenced the compound. Since then, the complaints appear to have stopped.

“The problems have been overcome, it is now being maintained properly and the more sewage that goes into it, the better it works. So this (housing) project will make it work even better,” Gore said with a chuckle.

Ramble Hill Road borders Bogue Village to the south, there is Bogue Hill Road to the west, Temple Gallery Road to the north and the railway lines to the east of the five-phase project.