Residents protest, Newton land development plans rejected

The minister for Town Planning has turned down a major land development proposal for Newton Plantation, marking a victory for nearby residents and a consumer advocate who had strongly opposed the project.

In a decision published in its digital registers (https://registers.townplanning.gov.bb/digital?q=newton) on August 12, the Planning and Development Department cited “the Minister” rejected the developers’ plans.

It listed five reasons for rejecting the plan to subdivide 12.2 acres of the historic plantation into a 58-lot housing development. Newton Plantation, one of the island’s first estates to grow sugar when it was introduced there in 1643, once comprised about 420 acres. It is home to the Newton Slave Burial Ground, a site of significant cultural and historical importance owned by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society which gave insights into the burial practices of enslaved people.

Under the Planning and Development Act of 2019, the minister responsible for Town Planning — the prime minister — retains sweeping powers to unilaterally earmark an area for development. But the law also provides for consultation before applying for planning permission. 

Senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Dr William Duguid currently holds the portfolio for town planning matters. 

The proposed project sparked controversy in April when residents of neighbouring Bannatyne raised concerns about the development encroaching on the plantation’s land, which holds the burial ground. They launched a petition to stop the project, gathering all 56 signatures of Bannatyne residents in a bid to block the subdivision.

The Barbados Consumer Empowerment Network (BCEN) also issued a strongly worded statement condemning the proposed development.

The Planning and Development Department outlined that the proposal conflicted with the growth management policies set out in the Physical Development Plan 2023. These policies, according to the ministry, aim to reduce urban sprawl, protect key assets, and ensure a more efficient use of infrastructure.

“The proposal conflicts with growth management policies in the approved Physical Development Plan 2023 which aim for less sprawl, for protection of core assets, and for more efficient use of infrastructure,” the rejection notice stated. 

It also stressed that there was “no need for further release of land for residential development in this part of the island”.

Among the reasons for refusal was the concern that approval could “increase the pressure for the release of agricultural land for non-agricultural development in this area”.

A further critical factor was the potential impact on the Newton Slave Burial Ground. The department’s statement highlighted that “the proposed residential development would adversely affect the setting of the Newton Enslaved Burial Site, which is a designated cultural heritage asset”.

Bannatyne residents expressed satisfaction with the outcome. They had raised concerns over the possible loss of arable land and the fate of the burial ground had the project gone ahead.

Residents told Barbados TODAY they were pleased with the decision as they were concerned about arable land being used for housing and what would be the fate of the burial site should the development go ahead.

The Newton Slave Burial Ground is the final resting place of Old Doll, also known as Doll, one of the most prominent enslaved people in Barbados during the 18th century. Historians said her life and experiences reflect the complex dynamics of slavery and midwifery on the plantation. Doll’s legacy is captured in A Kind of Right to be Idle: Old Doll, Matriarch of Newton Plantation by historian Professor Karl Watson, an exploration of her life and the relationships between enslaved individuals and their absentee White owners.

The residents’ complaint to town planners, which contained thorough mapping, highlighted that the area was flood-prone, making it unfit for a housing development.

They said: “The topography of the area encourages natural drainage from higher ground to catchment areas in the field eventually draining to aquifers. Such drainage would not be possible through paved roads, driveways, and the footprints of 58 houses hindering water collection in our now water-scarce island. Even without the tarmac and concrete that will come with a residential development, there are times when the field is unable to absorb the water. The overflow often makes the main road impassable. One would expect that with a residential development even more water will be forced onto the main road leading to worse flooding. I have included below a contour map showing the elevations and which identifies the field in question as being part of a flood plain . . . There is also concern that the water main currently serving 55 houses in Bannatyne will be unable to serve double the number of houses.”

Residents questioned why the housing project was not proposed for several large fields in the Newton/Bannatyne area that are overrun with bush but instead for productive lands that contributed to the aesthetics of the island and provided a “refreshing atmosphere”.

They said they feared that the project would transform an “oasis of greenery to another mass of concrete, roads and rooftops”.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb