MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands construction booming: permission for second 80 bedroom hotel

The second 80 bedroom employees hotel will cater to the needs of the workers in the next oil exploration drilling round, including access and related services.

Building continues at a steady rate in the Falkland Islands with 15 applications approved for construction in the capital Stanley, including permission for an 80 bedroom employees hotel for oil exploration technical staff, according to the latest Planning and Building Committee meeting.

 The company, Argos Ltd was given development permission to construct road layout and associated services and drainage for residential development and also outline planning permission for the 80 bedroom employees hotel to cater to the needs of the workers in the next oil exploration drilling round, including access and related services.

The company plan the development on land which is part of Rowlands Estates on the south side of the Moody Brook road between the old Beaver Hangar and the Stanley Golf Course, which is currently used for grazing horses.

No details on the type of building was provided at this stage however the Planning Officer said the applicant had indicated that proposed structures would be “modular and of a high standard far removed from a typical workers camp.”

Responding to concerns about the social impact of a large number of contract workers between two residential developments and the implications of drainage and lost amenity from nearby home owners, a spokesperson for the company said the personnel rules for the oil and gas sector were far more stringent than those for construction workers.

“Wherever temporary accommodation is provided it will have an impact, much the same as the workers camps did in St Marys Paddock (Gordon Forbes) the back of the FIC Offices, the hospital car park, Hillside Camp, Lookout Lodge (de-mining workers etc).”

The permission comes on the heels of the approval granted at the previous meeting of the Planning and Building Committee for an 80 room portable hotel on land near the Trough for Goodwin Off-Shore Ltd.

A further 13 applications were approved which included Colleen McLaughlin’s application to renovate the main shop at Beauchene Retail Complex on John Street
and resurface the car park to open as a shop again.

Likewise on John Street at the property known as Millers, Bruce Miller had his request to change the use of the upstairs bar and kitchen area into dormitory accommodation approved. Also on the commercial development side, Grimmer and Jones Haulage had their application to put down a hardstand to park four to five trucks and to erect a 100 x 40ft warehouse/garage at Plot 10 Kiel Canal Road approved.

New builds were approved for Nadia Smith at 42 Rex Hunt Road and Samantha Davies at 14 Rex Hunt Road, while Adam and Jenny Cockwell were approved to split their property at 90 Davis Street and construct a new dwelling on the second plot. Ian Davis also had his application to remove a derelict house and divide the plot for two residential dwellings at 3 Kent Road approved.

Dave Hawksworth is to build an extension to his house at 25 Eliza Crescent, Gerald Cheek is to construct a sun room on the north side of his home at 9 Biggs Road and Arlene Bowers had the temporary siting of the mobile coach tea room at Gypsy Cove approved.

The Scout Hut on Brandon Road is to benefit from a new porch on the east end, a group outdoor meeting and camp fire area and a flagpole as well as additional car parking following approval subject to conditions.

Falklands population according to the 2012 census indicates that 74% of the Islands population lives in Stanley, that is 2.120 people and 82% of the total households, 1.237, are located in Stanley. (PN).-