KINGSTON, Jamaica – The architectural design for the Boundbrook Urban Centre in Port Antonio, Portland, has been completed and is now going through the approvals and permitting process.

Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2023/24 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives, on March 16.

Holness said 126,000 square feet of rentable space will be constructed, of which 54 per cent has already been reserved through signed space reservation agreements.

Meanwhile, the prime minister said the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) has been tasked with developing an urban centre for the town of Negril, similar to one being built in Morant Bay, St Thomas.

“The FCJ has identified land strategically located in the centre of the town, and has started consultation with the relevant stakeholders regarding its use,” Holness informed.

He noted that as one of Jamaica’s premier tourist destinations and a fast-growing town, Negril is without any major commercial, industrial, or civic complexes, and is in need of a comprehensive plan to realise its potential.

“Within the upcoming fiscal year, we will present a comprehensive development plan, which will include an international airport, a public beach park, a craft village and, with the help of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a restored Royal Palm Reserve,” the prime minister said.