MONTEGO BAY, St James -The St James Parish Council yesterday issued a stop work notice on the development of the 701-room ClubHotel RIU at Mahoe Bay, St James, after investigations conducted by the local body revealed that construction work was taking place at the site without its approval.

“We have prepared the notice and it has been signed by the mayor (Noel Donaldson), but I am not sure if it has been served as yet,” secretary/manager at the local authority, Ian Reid, told the Observer last night.

Reid said the council decided to launch the investigation into the matter after it received reports that work being undertaken there could be “construed as construction”.

“.As a result of this we have prepared the notice for them to cease and desist,” the secretary/manager said.

The Observer was last night unable to contact the developers of the project.

The proposed 701-room ClubHotel RIU is being 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.