Govt to acquire St Philip church land for housing push

The government is moving to compulsorily acquire over two acres of church-owned land at Ebenezer, St Philip to support a housing programme, Minister of Housing Chris Gibbs announced in Parliament on Tuesday.

He moved a resolution under section 5 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire approximately 8 940 square metres (2.21 acres) of land belonging to the Ebenezer Methodist Church.

Gibbs framed the acquisition as a critical piece of a much larger economic and social strategy for the nation.

“This may seem like an ordinary acquisition, a very small piece of land, a routine matter,” Gibbs said as he led the debate on the resolution. “But those who only see a couple of acres of land fail to see the potential, the future that can be built upon it. Two acres here, three acres there – it adds up. In an island that is 166 square miles, we must be very resourceful in the way in which we use our land resources.”

He highlighted a deliberate policy shift away from low-density single-family lots toward modern, higher-density residential models, including duplexes, quads, townhouses, and apartment complexes. Under this updated design philosophy, the government expects to yield as many as 30 housing units on the Ebenezer site whilst preserving vital green spaces and integrating outdoor exercise facilities to promote community wellness.

The housing minister said that the government’s broader target of 2 000 homes annually represents a direct economic stimulus of approximately $400m pumped into the economy each year.

“Economic activity of this magnitude supports Barbadian businesses,” Gibbs said. “It supports the procurement process for hardware stores; it supports Barbadian families. Every house requires surveyors, architects, engineers, planners, electricians, steel benders, heavy equipment operators, roofers, and landscapers. Housing, therefore, becomes one of the strongest economic multipliers available to any government.”

He pointed to fiscal advantages of acquiring infill plots within established settlements, as the Ebenezer parcel sits directly within a larger neighbourhood. This means the state avoids the new infrastructure spending, he suggested.

“Every dollar that the government does not have to spend extending kilometres of new roads, every dollar that it does not have to invest in entirely new utility corridors, can be deployed into affordable housing.”

The housing minister also announced that the government is expanding the open parcel initiative to encompass derelict houses. Under this scheme, the ministry plans to partner with families or use legislative amendments to acquire abandoned, dilapidated properties across various constituencies, repurposing long-standing eyesores into affordable living spaces where infrastructure already exists.

Acknowledging the historic significance of the property’s present owners, Gibbs paid tribute to the Ebenezer Methodist Church, pointing out that the acquisition reflects a shared commitment to the public good rather than a disruption of church activities.

“The Methodist Church has been a cornerstone in the development of modern Barbados,” he said, citing National Heroine the Right Excellent Sarah Ann Gill. “Long before the emergence of any welfare state or many of our present public institutions, the church stood at the heart of community life. This is not an action against the church… rather, it reflects a shared understanding that land and resources should ultimately serve the public good.”

The Ebenezer housing development joins an expanding portfolio of state-backed residential projects, including at Vineyard, Deanstown Heights, Hanson, Searles, Todds, and Bright Hall.

To future-proof these developments against climate change and severe weather patterns, the ministry is combining modern construction technology with traditional Barbadian design elements, such as high ceilings and pitched roofs for natural cooling.
(RR)