– Over 117 houses completed, handed over

THREE Hundred houses in Cummings Lodge Housing Development, costing $2.3 Billion, are on track for a December 2022 completion.

According to Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, who made the disclosure on Monday, the current progress made in the community has cost Government over one billion dollars on the construction of houses in the new Housing Scheme.

He added that over 117 house lots were already handed over in the new Cummings Lodge Housing Development as part of the Government’s aggressive plan to promote home- ownership.

Each two-bedroom, 20 feet by 30 feet (600 square feet) elevated house was constructed by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) and sold at $7.5M.

Minister Croal highlighted that plans are in place to have 1100 lots catered for in the massive two-part community, which is expected to stretch and connect to Eccles, East Bank of Demerara.

“The master plan will therefore see us, by the end of this year, completing over 300 houses to the investment of the tune of about $2.3 billion here in Cummings Lodge. When you consider that and look at the audit aspect of our design, we already have allocated over 700, and then you take into consideration what is going to be happening at the Eccles end, where you will have a medical zone and in between, you also have the commercial activities zone that will see occupancy, in Cummings Lodge, with over 1100 Lots catered for,” Croal explained.

The Minister noted that engineers have already mapped out a road that will link the community to Eccles and provide another main access point to the community.

Minister Coal noted that the ministry has already moved ahead with placing street lights in the massive community and intends, shortly, to start prep-works for other infrastructure works in the community, including roads, electricity, and water.

He further noted that the ministry is already investing heavily to ensure the community is equipped with the necessary services.

It is already equipped with a brand new $7M police outpost and will have an established community ground by the end of June 2022.

The Housing Minister opined that the new housing scheme would be a catalyst for developing and improving the neighbouring areas.

He also said that Government intends to use the new housing development to unravel the stigma attached to the Sophia areas.

“And so, the development of Cummings Lodge, therefore, means significant improvement to our neighbouring villages and the upliftment of those communities. It also means the removal of the stigma attached, when one takes into consideration previously, whenever you speak about going to the back of Sophia,” Minister Croal stated.