By Al Edwards, Business Co-ordinator 
Leading architect Evan Williams of the firm Design Collaborative
A NEW housing development project called Spot Valley, located near Montego Bay, is all set to redefine how rural communities are planned and constructed.
Leading architect, Evan Williams of the firm Design Collaborative, will be responsible for the design of this new housing village and hopes it will set a new benchnmark in how rural housing projects are done.
Spot Valley is situated three miles from the Rose Hall main road in St. James. It is 12 miles east of Montego Bay and approximately 12 1/4 miles west of Falmouth. The village is in close proximity to the edge of the Cockpit Country. It was formerly part of the Barrett/Rose Hall sugar works, and processed cane up to the 1830's then resumed growing cane in the 1870's until the 1970's.
The village was formerly known as Little Rivers and Silver Springs.
Speaking to the Financial Gleaner, Mr. Williams said: "The idea that you can have a housing development project for a community of 2000 people without providing any direct benefit to them, is no longer the way to go. The challenge therefore was to look at it as an opportunity to create something truly unique for a rural community. There are rural communities like this throughout this island and indeed much of the Caribbean.
"We were engaged to do this planning study that would not be a pie in the sky notion but something that is workable. The project will sit on 600 acres and will accommodate 2000 households and a hotel. The developer is Tom Chambers."
The development consists of: Seven hundred, NHT houses costing approximately J$2.5 million each. Two hundred village/town houses. Two hundred apartment units, three hundred assisted living units and one hundred and eighty lots ranging in size from a third of an acre to a quarter of an acre. There will also be a fifty-room hotel with construction costs placed at US$7000 a room. Infrastructural cost for the entire project has been placed at US$2million. "What are we trying to achieve here? Well five things in essence. One, to demonstrate that development proposals are the result of sound local liaison, are integrated into the local community, and will serve that community - whilst at the same time contributing to an enhanced local economy by creating employment opportunities resulting from new investment. Two, to ensure that the development "responds to" rather than "imposes upon" the existing physical, social and economic structure. Three, to design a truly model community which seeks to integrate many aspects of the rural environment in order to create a harmonious and holistic approach to a community in terms of housing, retail, agriculture heritage, eco tourism, education, art & craft, and light manufacturing. The holistic approach for "things Jamaica," will be established in order to clearly focus on the creation of a distinct marketable image for Spot Valley that will attract the interest of the new residents as well as locals and tourists . Four, to ensure that such development acknowledges and is sensitive to environmental, social, political and commercial issues related to the site and its environs and Five, to create the first Internet Village where all households, retail, craft, civic, recreational and community facilities will be on line, affording residents the ability to bank, pay bills, shop, and conduct business on line." Concomitant to a 2000 household community is the notion of how the development projectwill be broken down. This will be done by six groups of land use. There is the public use encompassing parks, playing fields and squares. Then you have the civic use which is town hall and or community centre and library. A prep and secondary school and day care centre. There is a commercial component which includes retail outlets a 50 room eco heritage hotel, a restaurant and entertainment facilities and there is residential, firstly high density which includes town houses and apartments. The low density residential aspect will include single family houses and finally the work shop component that includes the craft centre and light industry such as block printing and management offices.
"The aim is to create a self financing communityand not a resort area. However if someone from overseas wanted to purchase a house or apartment in Spot Valley that could be accomplished but it is not a second home scenario.
"Although the need for new housing development schemes is evident I suspect that this is the first time a development of this kind is taking place in Jamaica. There are examples of this sought of development in the Caribbean but it has traditionally been earmarked for the resort market and the 800 acre Tobago Plantation immediately comes to mind in this respect," said Mr. Williams. " In this country where the grandparents tend to raise the kids I'm saying you have an assisted living facility, you have a labour pool with the older folks, give them something to do, let them look after the kids. I'm not too sure how the Spot Valley project will be received in Jamaica particularly with it being new.But I think we have the opportunity here to take advantage of what the Government is imputing by way of legislation i.e., NHT and the Ministry of Housing and all of that. My view has always been we depend too much on the Government for everything in Jamaica and it is refreshing to see a group of people take on this project and see it through."
He noted that the response from most of the stake holders namely banking entities, the National Water Commission, Digicel, and the fire department has been most encouraging. He observed communities like Spot Valley arebuilt in most industrialised countries.Spot Valley is expected to be fully operational by 2007.
