Phase 2 of Silica City to include condos, townhouses for diaspora

As works progress on the Silica City project along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, the government is gearing up to launch Phase Two of the development which will focus on the diaspora.

This is according to Housing Minister Collin Croal during a recent site visit.

“Currently, the project team is doing the design to prepare for the infrastructure work,” he noted.

“A lot of persons from the diaspora have been expressing interest, they want to return…the design [and] the construction to take place there will be different…Those will target more of the condo-type or townhouses type of design,” he added.

Unlike Phase One, which focused on individual housing units, Phase Two will feature condominiums and townhouses, offering a broader range of housing solutions to meet the evolving needs of prospective homeowners.

In addition to housing, Phase Two will introduce a host of community and recreational amenities that reflect international standards for sustainable urban living. These include: Multi-purpose green fields, a golf course, walking and cycling trails and naure play areas.

Supporting infrastructure such as restrooms, storage kiosks, recycling bins, bike racks, and water fountains will also be provided.

The Housing Minister noted that the diaspora applicants will have to undergo a similar process and meet the local criteria, that is, being of Guyanese origin and a first-time homeowner.

Silica City will be Guyana’s first modern, sustainable city and is part of the PPP/C Government’s climate change mitigation initiatives under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030).

The government has set aside some 3800 acres of land for the new city with approximately 15,000 houses to be constructed in various phases.

Phase One is currently ongoing, with 110 homes under construction. These comprise of four designs with prices ranging between $27 million and $35 million.

With seven contractors working, the houses are currently at various stages of completion, and according to the minister, allocations have already begun and beneficiaries will able to sign their Agreements of Sale soon.

Meanwhile, Minister Croal underscored the importance of delivering quality works and in this regard, announced that the ministry’s monitoring capacity will be strengthened.

“So, we want to ensure that quality [work] is part of what we’re delivering on …and we’ll be strengthening that aspect of the Project Department, because monitoring is very important. We don’t want when the houses are complete, then you have the beneficiaries complaining about the quality. This is something we should be picking up very early,” he posited.