In recent years there has been a spike in the number of housing developments, particularly in the city of Kingston. Residential communities are being transformed, as multi-storey town houses and apartments have been replacing single-dwelling houses.

This new thrust has resulted in mixed reactions as on one hand people now have the opportunity to own or invest in a dwelling in a preferred location, but on the other hand, existing residents have had to endure the displeasure of having their next door neighbour’s bungalow turned into a four-storey apartment blocking out the sun, the view, and ultimately, invading their privacy.

While this has been taking place, building developers and others connected to the industry have had their fair share of gains and challenges as some of their ventures have been met with opposition from community residents who have sought to contest some of these projects.

Throughout all of this we cannot ignore the fact that there is a demand for housing solutions in the two major cities of Jamaica.

All over the world people have been known to migrate from rural to urban areas in search of work, education, and a better overall quality of life. It is often thought that people can reap greater success if they migrate to larger cities with greater opportunities.

However, while we have continued to create housing solutions for thousands of families, we have failed to develop the infrastructure needed to support the growing population in both of our cities. As a matter of fact, in some instances we have created other problems as a result of the residential boom.

Particularly in Kingston, there has always been a high demand for certain secondary schools. As the urban population increases as a result of more housing solutions, the demands on our traditional secondary schools have increased. Everyone cannot be accepted into St George’s College, Kingston College, Calabar High School, The Queen’s School, St Hugh’s High School, Convent of Mercy Academy “Alpha”, Immaculate Conception High School, Wolmer’s boys’ and girls’ schools, Jamaica College, and Campion College. These have been the preferred schools in Kingston from Common Entrance and Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) days. Those who have granted permits to facilitate this housing boom have not taken this into account.

Then there is the matter of water, the demand for which has undoubtedly increased in the city with the increased housing solutions. Each year, as the summer approaches, we worry about the likelihood of the Mona Reservoir being unable to serve the urban population. During this period, scores of households face the challenge of having to do without water for days and, in some cases, weeks, while the National Water Commission (NWC) tries to regulate the distribution of this scarce commodity. As the urban population increases, this challenge can only get worse unless infrastructure is put in place to alleviate this recurring problem.

Drainage has also been a growing problem. As construction continues to reduce the natural soakaways as a result of increased concrete spaces in residential lots, we find that during even mild rainy periods there is greater flooding in the Corporate Area, particularly on Marcus Garvey Drive and in Half-Way-Tree, which now seems to be the catchment area for the flow of water.

Citizens, in recent times, have had to endure traffic challenges during improvements to Constant Spring and Barbican roads in particular. Residents waited patiently and did pardon the progress while roads were being improved. As the housing developments continue, leading to increased traffic, one can anticipate that the traffic levels prior to these road expansions will return, taking us back to square one.

The Riverton landfill has also posed its fair share of challenges while it continues to accommodate more than its intended capacity. It is only a matter of time before we have another fire at that location as this now seems to be the norm.

There are many issues which point to the overcrowding in our urban spaces and the inability of our resources to accommodate the needs arising from the residential developments in our cities – cluster creates conflict.

The solution that must now be seriously considered is for Jamaica to build another city. This city would be a win-win opportunity for all stakeholders as we simply cannot continue to knock down single-dwelling units and replace them with apartment complexes without putting proper additional infrastructure in place.

Jamaica has leading urban and regional planning professionals who have the requisite skills to design cities based on population projections and modern-day facilities. They are also qualified to determine the most suitable location on the island for the new city. Our local architects are also able to design a city of the highest quality.

The Municipality of Portmore has been a good housing solution for thousands of Jamaicans. There have even been talks of it becoming the fifteenth parish. The downtown restoration project is also a necessary part of the urban development process. However, neither of these initiatives negates the need for another city in Jamaica.

This new city would not simply be a housing solution with residents leaving each day to travel to Montego Bay or Kingston for school and work. Instead, it would be a self-contained city, properly developed by our urban planners with state-of-the-art smart city infrastructure in place.

This smart city concept would allow for the use of electronic methods and sensors to collect data which can then be used to manage, monitor, and improve the day-to-day operations across the city. This would include the managing of traffic, waste water, crime, utilities, garbage collection, and many other municipal activities.

The city would allow for apartment complexes in designated areas, particularly the business district, which would allow for the swift movement of individuals to and from work.

Additionally, the new city would also include state-of-the-art primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions; hospitals; environmentally friendly landfills; reservoirs; and compulsory conveniences for the physically challenged, including roadways and public transportation. It would also have a designated industrial section, along with the requisite markets, parks, and green spaces, allowing individuals to jog or cycle freely.

The new city would include large shopping malls with food courts and entertainment centres for adults and children.

Of critical importance would be the availability of residential plots of land throughout the city with restrictive covenants to ensure that residents’ privacy and property values remain intact. The land sizes would vary, allowing various income categories to be able to purchase land and build houses without fear of subsequently having the lot next door converted into an apartment or business complex.

I anticipate that many people would be willing to relocate to a properly structured city within Jamaica that offers residents adequate space, water, schools, minimal traffic congestion, and ultimately a better quality of life.

As our population continues to grow we all cannot be confined to Kingston and Montego Bay, neither should we have to commute long distances to work and school, thus slowing down productivity.

If we continue on this path of increasing the city’s population through the transformation of single-dwelling residential lots into multiple dwelling apartments and town houses while ignoring the associated urban development issues, we will continue to have the aforementioned challenges, which will only continue to get worse.

At the very least, we owe it to the next generation to properly plan for them.

bthomas@utech.edu.jm