The $2.3 billion worth of National Housing Trust (NHT) contracts awarded to Ashtrom Building Systems is amongst the largest for the year and will provide 419 houses within two years, said the NHT.

The National Contracts Committee in late September endorsed Ashtrom for phase 3 of the Twickenham Park Housing Development, St Catherine; and phase 2 of Bushy Park Housing Development, Clarendon. Ashtrom which is a Israeli majority owned company won two contracts valued at $2.1billion and $229 million. The larger project involves the construction of 165 Two bedroom townhouses and 192 Two and Three bedroom apartments and associated Infrastructure Works at Twickenham Park Housing Development, St Catherine Phase 3. A second project involves the construction of 10, two bedroom, 52 One bedroom and Five studio units and associated Infrastructure Works at the Bush Park Housing Development, Clarendon, Phase 2.

The NHT expects to begin these developments this month and will continue for almost two years.

“Unions Estate Phase 3 (Twickenham Park Phase 3) will begin December 2009 and end October 2011. While Bushy Park Phase 2 will also begin December 2009 but end October 2010,” NHT told the Business Observer in written correspondence last week. “Unions Estate Phase 3 is one of the biggest projects for the NHT.”

The National Housing Trust was established in 1976. It is funded by statutory deductions from employers, employees and self-employed individuals. The Trust is the largest provider of residential mortgages in Jamaica, with mortgage loans totalling $36 billion.

The projected cost per unit to potential purchasers have “not yet been decided”. NHT said that all qualified NHT contributors can apply for any of these units.

“Applicants will be successful if they meet all the eligibility requirements and if they can afford to repay the loan,” said NHT.

Ashtrom, in Jamaica since 1969, and has won big contracts such as the Inner-city Housing Project, Iberostar Hotel, Sandals Whitehouse, Sangster International Airport and Sabina Park Cricket Stadium.

In September, the NHT committed to start construction on 12,000 houses over 18 months in six parishes at a total cost of $29 billion.

Part of this development includes 288 lots at Hampden in Trelawny and 149 Stokes Hall in St Thomas; 746 houses now under construction at Union Estate; and 600 houses and 234 serviced at Longville Clarendon. At Perth in Manchester, 1,343 housing units and 257 serviced lots are planned for completion by September 2011. In St James, 148 serviced lots will be offered at Providence located near the upscale Ironshore community and at Bushy Park, Clarendon 67 studios, one and two-bedroom houses will be constructed.

Under the Sugar Housing programme, the NHT will provide 402 serviced lots at Bernard Lodge in St Catherine, while at Frome in Westmoreland, 115 houses, consisting of 76 foundation-only starter units, are to be offered.

In October, the NHT had contracted Foote Construction for $199 million to begin infrastructure and construction works for housing lots at Hampdem Sugar Housing Development. Infrastructure development was slated to begin in November and last for a year. The NHT will begin planning the housing construction phase within a few months and construction should start about July 2010.

The scope of work for that contract included the development of “roadways, storm water drains, a sewage collection and treatment system, a water supply distribution system, lot grading, a Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Pole Line distribution system and street lights, traffic signals and street names”, said the NHT. Upon completion, the serviced lots should cost approximately $900,000 for regular NHT contributors.