RESIDENTS of sections of Manor Park in upper St Andrew are up in arms over what they regard as secrecy surrounding a planned development in the area.

The residents say they have tried, without success, to get information on the development slated for 2 Broadway Close, Kingston 8.

According to the residents, unofficial sources have indicated that a five-storey building is planned for the area but efforts to get the authorities to either confirm or deny this have so far failed.

In a letter, which they shared with the Jamaica Observer, the residents claim that people who live on Broadway Close, Broadway Road, Harrow Drive, and Waterworks Road are worried about the proposed development.

“The developers posted a notice of intention to build at 2 Broadway Close on July 6, 2026. Within 48 hours, the Broadway Mews Association formally requested the plans. The developer responded that the plans were in progress and would be provided once completed. Since then, there has been no further correspondence,” the residents said in the letter.

“Despite multiple requests, the community has been left in the dark. The developers were aware of the community’s interest within 48 hours of the notice going up. Yet, they have chosen to ignore all subsequent requests for information,” the residents added.

They claimed that when the community submitted a formal request for plans under the Access to Information Act, they were told it could take up to 60 days to receive them.

“The Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) informed residents they had only 35 days to file an objection. This creates an impossible situation where residents are being asked to object to a developer whose plans they have not seen, may not receive before the deadline, and which the developer has refused to share,” the residents claimed in the letter.

Repeated attempts by the Observer since last week to get a comment from the KSAMC have so far been unsuccessful.

The residents pointed to comments made recently by Dr Patricia Green, a registered architect and former head of the Caribbean School of Architecture at the University of Technology, Jamaica.

“Dr Green has highlighted this exact issue. When citizens contact the KSAMC, they are denied access to the development proposals. Without the drawings, how are we to object?” the residents charged in the letter.

They pointed out that under Section 18 of the Building Act 2018, once a notice of intention is posted people can object to the development even without seeing the plan.

“The law does not require you to have seen the plans. Under Section 7 of the Kingston and St Andrew Building (Notices and Objections) Regulations, the KSAMC must take into consideration all objections which may be made before making a decision.

“The Supreme Court has confirmed this right. In Wint v KSAMC [2022], the court held that residents have a legitimate expectation that their objections will be considered, and that failing to do so is a breach of natural justice. You can object based on what you already know — the restrictive covenants, the cul-de-sac, the gully course, the road problems, the inadequate notice. You do not need to wait for the plans. But the developer’s refusal to share them speaks volumes,” the residents said.

They told the Observer that they have also contacted the National Environment and Planning Agency for answers and the agency confirmed the area is zoned for residential purposes and that the half-acre lot is permitted for 25 habitable rooms.

But the greatest fear of the residents is that the developers could be allowed to go as high as five storeys. The tallest building in the area is currently two storeys.

“Legal experts have noted that developments on plots smaller than half an acre are a key warning sign of a bad development. Under the 2017 Provisional Development Order, multi-family developments are only permitted if the land exceeds 0.5 acres, unless compelling reasons are shown. The 2 Broadway Close site is exactly 0.5 acres, a fact that should have triggered additional scrutiny,” the residents claimed.

They further argued that with Broadway Close being a dead-end street, a five-storey, multi-family development will generate significant vehicular traffic that must enter and exit through a single point.

“The KSAMC is required to assess access and traffic flow as mandatory planning criteria. Emergency vehicles — fire trucks and ambulances — require adequate turning radius and access. The Jamaica Fire Brigade is a mandatory referral agency that must approve such developments. Residents are demanding that a traffic impact assessment be conducted and made public before any permit is granted,” argued the residents.

They added: “The certificate of title for 2 Broadway Close contains restrictive covenants that are binding on the land and its owners. No building other than that used for the purposes of a private dwelling house with appropriate outbuildings appurtenant thereto shall be erected on the said land or any part thereof. Restrictive covenants are contractual obligations imposed on purchasers by the original vendor, intended to limit the purchaser’s use of the land for the benefit of all land owners in the subdivision.

“They run with the land, meaning successive owners are bound by the same covenants. A covenant that precludes subdivision would limit the owner’s ability to legally construct an apartment complex.”

The property at 2 Broadway Close in St Andrew on which a development notice has been posted. (Photo: Jason Cross)

This notice is posted on the fence at 2 Broadway Close in St Andrew. (Photo: Jason Cross)