CONSTRUCTION of the proposed ClubHotel RIU Resort in Montego Bay will not be permitted if in fact a design flaw has put the development in the flight path of the Sangster International Airport, according to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).

Acting communications manager for the agency, Zadie Neufville, said adjustments to the resort’s location would first have to be made.

“They (the regulatory authorities) wouldn’t consider building anything in the flight path. If it is in the flight path, then they would consider shifting the foot print of the hotel outside of that area,” Neufville told the Observer yesterday.

“If it is close to the flight path, and if the height of the building will affect the incoming (air) traffic then they will look at the height of the building,” she added.

The issue was raised by a representative of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) at a public consultation meeting on the proposed hotel in Montego Bay last Friday.

Yesterday, a CAA spokeswoman said that the authority would undertake an investigation into the matter, with preliminary results expected by the end of the week.

“For now, it is not precisely in the flight path. But there is a proposed extension of the runway at Sangster, which could put it in the flight path of the airport,” the spokeswoman said.

“At this point in time, we have an obstacle evaluation unit and that unit is going to conduct a study to determine the implications of the planned location of the hotel. We expect that we will have a preliminary assessment by the end of this week,” she added.

Neufville said, in the interim, all concerns raised at the Friday meeting and within the next 30 days would be taken onboard as they consider the award of the required permits to the developers.

“There is an open period from the date of the presentation to 30 days after for everybody to make their comments,” Neufville said.

“All the comments that come in and the concerns will be circulated to the relevant agencies for them to consider as it relates to safety, environmental protection and all the related issue,” she added.

At the end of the process, Neufville noted that everyone’s input would be duly considered before a final decision was taken as to the award of the environment and planning permits by the board of the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) and the building permit by the local parish council.

“When all the comments come in, we have to ensure that all the concerns are dealt with satisfactorily and that all the agencies agree to whatever conditions are put in place to mitigate any harmful effects before a permit is granted,” she said.

The proposed 701-room ClubHotel RIU is be constructed on 20.6 acres of land, three kilometres east of the Sangster International Airport and adjacent to the Sandals Royal Caribbean Hotel and Offshore Island.

Of the 701 rooms, 593 are to be doubles, 84 triples and 24, suites.

“There will be six three-storey buildings for hotel rooms and one one-storey main building intended for the property,” according to the final draft report on the development.

The expectation, according to the final draft report, is that the construction phase will see between 600 and 1200 people gaining employment, with the expectation that works will be completed over a period of 18 months.

If approval is granted for its construction, it will bring to four the number of resorts owned and operated in Jamaica by RIU International.