November 14th, 2024, St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda….. The Development Control Authority wishes to clarify misleading information presented in a recent online news article regarding a scheduled demolition for November 14 at 9:00 am at Jennings Extension, which has since been postponed until April 2025.

The news article published by Real News Antigua on Facebook suggests that twenty-one (21) homes are scheduled for demolition. This is inaccurate, as there are only eight (8) homes scheduled for demolition by the DCA. The owners of these 8 homes have received notice to vacate Crown Land controlled by the Ministry of Lands for four years, with notice given as recent as July 31, 2024. Additionally, the Compliance and Enforcement Unit within the DCA further alerted the owners with a nal notice dated October 7 . None of the mentioned home owners came into the Ministry of Lands which is responsible for administering Crown Lands.

The DCA is not responsible for the sale of lands. The Central Housing and Planning Authority made separate arrangements with other home owners in the same ood-prone area. It must be restated that the homes scheduled for demolition are on Crown Lands from Ministry of Lands only.

Section 34(8) of the Physical Planning Act lists the steps the Authority may require to be taken by a person on whom an enforcement notice has been served, to remedy the breach to which the enforcement notice relates, which includes the demolition or removal of a building whole or in part.

The Authority has extended the enforcement deadline until April 30, 2025. Failure to comply by removing the homes scheduled for demolition will result in damage and loss to property.