WINCHESTER, Hanover — Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Dr Horace Chang, has called on National Housing Trust (NHT) contributors in western Jamaica to take advantage of the new Winchester Housing Development in Hanover.

“There is no other scheme in the island at this price, and this location out here in the west of course is the only one … and the Housing Trust loans have just started at zero per cent. So, this coming together at this point is really like you would call it, the tipping point for you, and I urge all of you to take advantage of it,” Dr Chang urged.

He was addressing a ground-breaking ceremony and the showcasing of two model units last Friday at the Winchester Housing Development, where some 1,003 housing units, starting at a price of approximately $4.7 million are to be constructed by Selective Homes in the rural community located between Green Island and March Town in Hanover.

Dr Chang noted that with hotel developments taking place in the resort town of Negril, people are coming from all over the island seeking employment, as he urged people already living in the area to purchase houses.

“I don’t mind them coming to live down here. But, you who have lived here for many years, some of you used to live on the property and some just continued on the property that the sugar plantation owners owned. You live very humble. Now take advantage of this and buy your little piece of the rock. The price is right, the interest rate is good and the Housing Trust still has money and will have more money,” Dr Chang argued.

Councillor for the Green Island Division, Shernet Haughton in whose division the development falls, expressed similar sentiments.

She noted that there are a number of civil servants, hotel employees, farmers and returning citizens living in and around the Green Island area without their own home. She said those in need vary from ages 20 to 60, pointing out that there are a number of low-income individuals in the area that could benefit from the project, either through the possibility of owning a home or gaining employment on the site.

Managing Director of Selective Homes, Robert Cartade, said the one-bedroom houses would be constructed in three phases over a three-year period on the approximately 144-acre estate.

He noted that each unit would be constructed with steel-reinforced concrete walls and a concrete slab roof. It will feature sliding PVC windows with insect screens and will have an open floor plan with areas for a bedroom, bathroom, small living room and kitchen. The kitchen will feature a small floor cabinet with stainless steel sink and faucet, while the bathroom will feature a pedestal basin, shower with sliding tempered glass shower doors and full shower trim. The housing units will also have plumbing for both hot and cold water, and will be piped to facilitate the installation of a solar water heater on the roof.

The minimum size of each lot will be 3,200 square feet to allow for the further expansion of the unit by the prospective purchaser in keeping with pre-approved designs.

Cartade said this approach, “seeks to prevent the haphazard extension of the units, in order to maintain the external aesthetics of the community”.

Winchester is the eighth such development by Selective Homes.

In Hanover, the Orange Bay Country Club consisting of over 150 houses was constructed over 20 years ago, while phase one and phase two of the Little Bay Country Club in Negril consisting of some 171 units have already been completed with the third phase set to commence shortly.

Other properties developed by the company include Mango Walk in St James, consisting of some 258 town houses, which was completed in 2008. In St Mary there is the St Mary Country Club, which consists of 300 detached houses and the Sea Palms consisting of 44 apartments. There are also other developments in the Corporate Area.