THE leadership of Ardenne High School is rushing to ensure that it follows all the regulatory requirements to construct its multimillion-dollar health and wellness centre.

Last week the Jamaica Observer received reports that the institution had not yet sorted out the necessary building permits to construct the facility which is budgeted to cost approximately $60 million.

But principal of Ardenne High School Nadine Molloy on Monday told the Observer that construction of the centre will not start until the building requirements are met.

“As far as I know, construction has not started yet and we are awaiting all the necessary permissions to go ahead. We will certainly be abiding by all the regulations that we need to abide by,” said Molloy.

“I am not aware that it has not been submitted. I signed off on it. If it has not hit all the requisite desks, that I cannot speak to. What I can say to you is actual construction will not begin unless everything, including the requisite permissions, are in place,” Molloy added.

According to deputy chair of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) Building and Town Planning Committee Kari Douglas, there is no clear indication of whether building permits have been submitted by the institution’s building team.

“We have done some research [but] we haven’t found anything on the system. I don’t know if it is that anything could have been submitted some time ago. I don’t know if it was submitted as an outline plan, which means it would have come in before us just to introduce the concept without actually submitting the full set of drawings,” said Douglas.

“We would like to ask the head of the building team to go ahead quickly to see if they can pull up those plans — if they do exist — and have them submitted. Or if they can quickly prepare for the drafting of the plan for the health and wellness centre because we are certainly not opposed to that type of development on the compound as long as the plans submitted conform with the Building Act and the planning policy. Then, our committee would be very happy to approve it expeditiously,” added Douglas.

She said while she applauds the school’s efforts to construct a health and wellness centre which will benefit students and staff, all building requirements should be met — especially for safety.

“The nature and type of activities that the facility would host, and with it being located on the school compound to serve the students and staff, that is something we definitely support and we would like to quickly have those plans come in for approval,” said Douglas.

“Also, this should be done for the safety of the work crew, staff and students, passers-by, people who would be on the construction site or in close proximity during construction,” Douglas added.

Last Wednesday, Ardenne High School held a ground-breaking ceremony for the health and wellness centre, which is being built with the assistance of the Ardenne Alumni Foundation.

It will include other components such as a reception and waiting area, three offices for guidance counsellors, two counselling rooms, nurse’s station, student lounge, student and staff sick bays and associated wash rooms, and a multi-purpose roof terrace.