In light of the complications created by construction of the high rise condominiums known as Allure on Brighton Beach which affected the entire neighborhood of Brighton negatively, this petition has been created to prevent the construction of a second high rise known as Aspire on Brighton Beach. The list of issues is long and comprehensive but in summary issues include:

1)LACK OF CONSIDERATION FOR RESIDENTS: No sign was erected as is
required by town and country planning which allow the residents of the area to object.

2)WATER SUPPLY – Given the low water supply in the rest of the Island, these two large buildings will bring an additional Forty Four households into Brighton which will present problems for our water supply.

3) INCREASED LAND TAXES: Our land tax is based on the highest valued properties within a 3 mile radius. There will be 44 new residencies valued in excess of $1.5 Million dollars. Most of us are over or approaching retirement.

4) DUST – From the demolition of 3 buildings two of which were built in the early 1950s of soft stone plus the construction of 18 condominiums. This dust will billow into the air and present 2 main problems: Upper respiratory illnesses and dust in our homes and on our houses.

5) LOSS OF INCOME: Those of us who rent short term & Air BnB will lose business due to the dust, noise and the traffic congestion this will cause. Those of us who work from home will suffer from noise pollution and be unable to conduct zoom meetings with clients for the duration of the construction. There are also several welcome stampers in Brighton who work remotely who will be impacted by this.

6) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT – There has been no Environmental Impact Study as is required by law by the Town & Country Planning Department. Our pets, as well as the natural wildlife will be impacted negatively by the dirt and dust constantly in the atmosphere, causing illness and potential death. Not to mention the destruction of a natural habitat for sea turtles on the beach side.
 

7) WATER RUNOFF - Where will the water pumped from under the building be pumped? It is a fact that dirty sea water was and still is being pumped on to the beach and in to the swamp. This is pollution. The water is brackish water, a mixture of dirty swamp water and sea water. All of Brighton was once swamp or marsh land.

8) TRAFFIC CONGESTION – Where will the traffic particularly Rubis and Refinery trucks be redirected to? These heavy vehicles will be forced to detour through the Crescent to avoid the congestion at the junction due to the various construction equipment and vehicles.

The Journey So Far:

Late in October of 2024 rumors started spreading that a particular developer, let’s call him Developer X had purchased the property in Brighton and it became the topic of neighborhood gossip because the property was actually bought by a Canadian businessman. Through that channel of gossip is the only way we, the residents of Brighton found out that there would be construction of high rise condominiums. Eventually the topic died down and nothing else was said about the potential construction whatsoever until the day of December 3rd when trees were cut down and removed from the property. As many as 10 trees or more that were there for at least 70 years were removed including Casuarina trees, coconut trees, pride of Barbados, breadfruit, plum trees and more, all of which were a habitat for wildlife. Cutting of trees is a violation of the Barbados Environmental Protection and Management act, many of the trees that were cut down were protected and even the previous owner was told it was illegal to cut down those trees, you can only trim them a little bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On December 29th a construction team showed up unannounced and demolished the buildings on the land. Again, Prior to this, no notice was officially given to the neighborhood, no signs were erected announcing the development; there was no warning at all. 

During this demolition, no screens were erected to block the dust, at which point it all billowed in to the sea, and in to our homes causing respiratory distress in several neighbors. When I say distress I mean asthma attacks and allergic reactions. Note that presently, the asthma, allergies as well as burning eyes and blurred vision are continuing to the present day. According to the Barbados Building Code there are guidelines which state that screens, barriers or fences are required if the construction site is in a populated area and may also be required for sites in proximity to roads or pedestrian areas to prevent accidents or unauthorized access. The existing fence was not erected until after the demolition was completed.

Up until this point no one can confirm whether an environmental impact study has been conducted. Along with the trees as a flourishing habitat for wildlife including several species of birds a thriving sea turtle nest has been destroyed on the beach front and covered over with stone, which as stated previously is a violation. The Environmental Protection and Management Act requires that an environmental impact assessment be done prior to determine the effects on the surrounding environment, including air, water, land, and biodiversity. It also outlines pollution control which includes air and water quality and Waste management is also addressed, including the proper disposal of hazardous waste. The Act provides for the conservation of Barbados’ natural resources, including marine resources, forests, and wildlife. The Act sets out penalties for violating environmental regulations. Individuals or businesses that fail to comply with environmental standards may face fines, sanctions, or other legal actions. Enforcement mechanisms are supposed to be put in place to hold offenders accountable and ensure compliance with the Act. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The excavation continued on the site at which time a deep foundation was dug up and sea water started to come up out of the sand. This area of Brighton is a very short distance from the shoreline. During rough seas, even outside of hurricane season the waves bash up against our walls and come down the driveway and the sea water is absorbed by the sand back in to the flow of water underneath the sand. There is currently a swimming pool of water on this construction site. Why is that not a good thing? Because on the previous property there were 6 suck wells which were not emptied prior to excavation and there were chinese laborers living in the houses there up a week or so before demolition. The excavator was used to dig up the wells. Developer X was brazen enough to say that the septic tanks were taken out, when we have it on camera that this in fact did not occur. The original buildings were erected in 1938, can someone tell me where they got septic tanks from in that year? Therefore, any water there is contaminated with you know what. A worker confirmed this by simply telling another right in front of me – Big man that is bare… In there. I will leave your imagination to that. Developer X even said that we should contact the Environmental Protection Department. So is he saying that he was given permission to completely destroy the environment? I hardly think so. 

 

 

 

 

It is a fact that at the previous development in Brighton near Rascals, the water was being pumped from underneath the building in to a soakaway on the beach side and across the road in to the swamp, and in fact, is still continuing to be pumped under the surface of the sand on the beach side in an alleged soakaway. We were informed by a worker that a tank also comes to collect water from that building. 

On January 16th the CZMU was called and some people came to take pictures and when we called and questioned about it, we were abruptly told that just because the water is brown it does not mean that it is contaminated - which according to science on the matter isn’t an appropriate response. We have been vigilant about watching to see if anyone has come to test the water for contamination and have not seen anyone as yet. 

Also on January 16th the construction team showed up here with large pipes, signalling the intent to install said pipes to pump the water in to a soakaway under the sand on the beach side which would be sucked in to the sea due to the movement of the tides as the area where the pipes were buried is only a few feet away from where the water washes up. 

The construction team showed up with the excavator January 27th and came down our driveway, and destroyed both private and public property by digging with the excavator. Permission was not given to them to dig on our property. The workers were very rude when asked what they were doing and who gave them permission to be on our property and one worker in particular was very aggressive saying he wasn’t on our property while literally having his feet planted within our boundary line. The Nation Newspaper was called that day and immediately came down to report on it, and the workers, who were hesitant to answer any questions told the nation that they were “building a better beach access and they would be done in 10 minutes” – what really they meant was, they were creating access for them to take the excavator on to the public beach. It did not take just 10 minutes, it actually took them the whole afternoon until after 3pm to dig up the sand and replace it with marl and stone. Digging up the beach is a violation, and so is operating heavy machinery on the beach. In front of one of the houses on the beach side was also destroyed by the excavator, and in our driveway the marl and stone is piled up about 2 feet in some places against our walls, dirtying our walls. The stone and marl is being dragged out on to the beach and is getting closer to the shoreline each passing day, and it will soon end up in the sea in light of the rough seas we have experienced already for the year. What will happen during hurricane season? They should be made to remove the stone and marl and put sand back there. It is dangerous to walk bare footed on the sharp rocks. I watch older beach goers struggle to walk barefoot on the stone to get to the beach, and one elderly gentleman almost fell a morning, and he was wearing beach shoes but was unable to balance properly. On that same day of the 27th, they did install the pipes, further signalling the intent to pump potentially contaminated water in to the soakaway underneath the sand on the beach. That day I called brass tacks and spoke about the issue at which point the next day they came and hauled away the excavator and construction has been at a stand still. On February 5th some individuals who were dressed as construction workers showed up and they attempted to break open the metal grate on the road which protects the hydrant, but only BWA has the authority to do so which is a very odd occurrence to say the least. 

Now I could go on and on about a lot of things. But everyone’s response is “ya can’t stop them, dem is big fish” which according to psychology is a manifestation of learned helplessness. There is always a solution to every challenge if you want to look for it. Also, in every instance where authorities have been consulted on this issue, there has been a bit of a wall, or dismissive responses, or no one wants to touch the issue. So telling us to contact the authorities, is not helpful advice, we have done that.

Other key facts to note here are that:

- The Town and Country Planning act is supposed to ensure that the development of the site aligns with zoning regulations and does not disrupt surrounding properties or the environment. If the construction site is near the beach even more regulations are supposed to be in place. Where zoning regulations are concerned, in Brighton it was passed in to law that you cannot build above 2 stories in October of 2023, which means that prior to the purchasing of this land by the new owner in 2024, the laws were changed to prevent development of high rises.

- The Coastal Zone Management Act is legislation aimed at managing the sustainable use of the coastal environment, which includes the protection of beaches and marine ecosystems. Special permits are often required for construction activities in sensitive coastal areas, including those where sea turtles are known to nest. Sea turtles in Barbados, including the Hawksbill, Green, and Leatherback species, are listed as protected species. Construction activities are supposed to adhere to guidelines to avoid disturbing nesting sites. The NCC is also supposed to be monitoring the activity so that the things that have occurred here do not happen.

- If you are pumping water (for example, from a construction site, industrial facility, or drainage system), the water quality must meet certain standards. For example, it should be free of harmful chemicals, toxins, or other pollutants that could negatively impact the marine environment. Barbados is a signatory to international treaties such as the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention) and its Protocols, which aim to prevent marine pollution. Under these international obligations, discharging harmful substances into the sea is prohibited. Any pumping activities that may introduce pollutants into the marine environment would be subject to these laws, and the authorities would likely require an environmental permit and treatment of the water to ensure it complies with pollution control standards. Large volumes of water being discharged into the sea may have a greater potential for disrupting local ecosystems and Failing to comply with these regulations are supposed to result in significant penalties, including fines, suspension of operations, or legal action.

From the looks of it - none of these rules are being adhered to and asking questions about it yields no answers or accountability. I am appealing to anyone who cares about Barbados to speak out about this because it is only a community effort at this point that will ensure that the guidelines are followed by these developers. It is not fair to be talking about climate change and protection of the environment in one breath and then in another be allowing things like this to go unchecked. The matter of the water being pumped in to the sea is even more serious simply because the desalination plant is right across the highway. This is not good enough.

Join our Facebook Group to view images/videos of the pumping of water and other issues as were documented during the construction of Allure. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/919479100250414

PLEASE BE AWARE: We are NOT asking for contributions! Change.org is asking for donations to their website BUT it is OPTIONAL! We ONLY ask that you sign the petition and share, but DO NOT donate any money! Thank you!