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For several weeks now, construction has been underway on a plot of land in the Grand Fond neighborhood. The development is taking place on parcels acquired by the Territorial Collectivity to provide farmland for the island’s farmers, as well as to build housing. On March 24, in an online post, the first vice-president of the territorial council, Marie-Hélène Bernier, highlighted a problem: the fact that no development permit had been issued to authorize the start of construction. “The rule is simple,” wrote the elected official, “we cannot demand that residents strictly adhere to urban planning regulations while disregarding them ourselves.” She added: “After consulting the relevant departments, the reality became clear: no permit had been filed for this construction project.”
Since then, the first vice-president has written to the prefecture requesting a finding of violation of urban planning regulations. In this document, the elected official lists the provisions of the Urban Planning, Housing, and Construction Code in force in Saint-Barthélemy. She emphasizes that “the Collectivité carried out work without a planning permit, consisting of the construction of a wall on a plot of land located in Grand Fond on parcel AT No. 26” as well as a “trench.”
“Regularizing the situation afterward is what has always been done in the Collectivité”
For the president of the Territorial Collectivity, this is “much ado about nothing.” However, the elected official confirms: “Technically, we should have waited for the development permit to be approved by the executive council before starting the work.” He assures: “Regularizing the situation afterward is what has always been done in the Collectivité. Even though, since the start of my term, I prefer that we do things the right way.” ” To explain why work began without a development permit, Xavier Lédée says: “I don’t know if it’s because they kept hearing from everyone that nothing was moving forward that they wanted to rush things. But the permit is with the urban planning department. It will be coming before the executive council very soon, and we’ll have to regularize the situation. ” Regarding the nature of the ongoing work, the president explains: “An agreement was reached with the owners to build walls. It’s very visible, so it raises questions, but it’s part of the project approved by the elected officials.” As for the possible consequences of the first vice-president’s referral to the prefect, Xavier Lédée does not seem concerned. “Unless the members of the executive council want to make a fuss, this should be regularized imminently,” insists the president. “And I imagine that the prefecture, which has been notified, if it were to say anything, would simply be to regularize the situation as quickly as possible—that’s all.”
In Grand Fond, construction continues. Without a permit, awaiting regularization.
