THE Portland Parish Council has turned down the proposed development of Pellew Island, appearing to mirror the view of environmental lobbyists, at least for now, that the island ought to remain untouched.

The council conveyed its decision in a letter dated February 19 to Beverley Barakat, owner of the lands on which the proposed three- and four-bedroom villas, in addition to a reception area were to be sited.

“The island will be accessed by boat, an electric-powered glass-bottom boat or bamboo raft, from the reception area located directly south of the island on land alongside the main road at 43 San San main road, west of the Blue Lagoon Villas,” noted the 2008 environmental impact assessment report done of the project. “A jetty and a small four-vehicle parking lot will be constructed at the reception area. Each villa will have its own pier or individual access to each villa.”

The council’s decision not to give its stamp of approval to the proposed development was made at its general meeting on February 11, following consultation with the Mines and Geology Division and the Ministry of Health and Environment.

Eight days later Barakat received a letter in the mail outlining the reasons why the council had turned down the developers’ application. They included:

* steeply sloping gradients which present accessibility challenges;

* increased risk of slope failure as a result of development works, given the geo-technical characteristics of the island;

* construction difficulties that would emerge given the island’s terrain and the requirement for “hard engineering works” that would be an “unacceptable intrusion in a pristine and sensitive marine environment”; as well as

* impact of wave action on the island, particularly during storm events.

In addition, there were concerns that the proposed sewage treatment system might be unable to meet the national sewage effluent standard.

However, all may not be lost to the developers, who had the opportunity to — within 30 days of being informed of the decision — appeal it.

“If you are aggrieved by the decision of the Land Planning Authority (Portland Parish Council) to refuse permission for the proposed development, or to grant permission subject to conditions, he may, by notice served within one month of the receipt of this notice, appeal to the Minister in accordance with Section 13 of the Town and Country Planning law, 1957,” the letter read.

Meanwhile, environmental lobbyists, who last year came out strongly against the proposed development, have welcomed the parish council’s decision.

“We are very happy that the parish council has turned down what was obviously an unsustainable development on one of Jamaica’s most iconic and beautiful places,” said Diana McCaulay, executive director of the Jamaica Environment Trust.

Peter Espeut, pastoral administrator at St Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church and past executive director of the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation, echoed her sentiment.

“I am happy to hear that. I think there is hope for our country if public officials can turn down things. I had begun to wonder whether our public officials were approving everything; it seemed as though ‘no’ was not in the vocabulary of our public servants,” he said. “Now that the Portland Parish Council has taken this decision — I certainly agree with the decision — and it gives me hope that we now know that this word ‘no’ is in the vocabulary of our public officials.”