Still no date for building's demolition

This building at 15 South Avenue, St. Andrew, has been ordered demolished by the Supreme Court. - Rudolph Brown

NO DATE has been set for the demolition of a controversial $16 million building at 15 South Avenue in St. Andrew, despite a court ruling last week which gave the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) the go-ahead to knock it down.

Last Friday the Court of Appeal upheld a Supreme Court ruling that the building's owners had breached the Town and Country Planning Act. The court agreed the structure was too close to the roadway and construction had begun although the KSAC had not given building approval.

Town Clerk Errol Greene could not say yesterday when the building would be demolished but said efforts were being made to contact the owners.

He stressed the KSAC would work with owner, Auburn Court Limited, and would ensure they were given "reasonable time" to demolish the building, which was to have been Jamaica's first bowling alley.

In 1996, the KSAC and the Town and Country Planning Authority (the latter now part of the National Environment and Planning Agency) served enforcement notices on Auburn Court Ltd to demolish the building on which construction reportedly began without the KSAC's approval of a building plan and application.

Auburn Court brought the matter before the Supreme Court to seek an order to bar the demolition but the motion was dismissed. The Court of Appeal also upheld the decision that the building should be demolished.

The Gleaner was unable to ascertain Auburn Court's next course of action as managing director Delbert Perrier did not return The Gleaner's telephone calls up to press time.

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