The construction of roads, utilities infrastructure and social housing in Drummonds is slated to begin in the second quarter of the year, according to housing minister John Osborne.
This project will be funded by EC$1.5 million from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office-funded Capital Investment for Resilience Economic Growth (CIPREG), he added.
Osborne was responding to opposition leader Paul Lewis who asked for the cost and timeline of the housing project during a meeting of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly on 21 January.
The area for development was the site of several family housing units which were constructed in the late 1990s from T-111 plywood sheets in an attempt to curb housing shortages.
The former government began some work clearing the buildings during the end of its tenure in June 2024, and broke ground for two new three-bedroom homes in October.
Social housing
Osborne told the assembly that Montserrat’s various administrations have been involved in the construction and management of social housing since the onset of the volcanic crisis.
He explained that the island’s social housing portfolio is comprised of about 200 units, mostly in Lookout and Drummonds.
These range from traditional concrete structures with timber, concrete and galvanised cover, to completely timer buildings and structures known as ‘Force 10’.
The areas that the buildings are in are known for harsh environmental conditions dominated by saline mist, which has had a major impact on the buildings, Osborne said.
He said the continued deterioration of the buildings poses a health and safety risk to the tenants.
Maintenance programmes
As well as the new build project, the government has implemented a preventative and corrective maintenance programme for the social housing stock
This will be paid for with $1.3 million in funding from CIPREG.
Osborne explained that the ongoing work is aimed at enhancing the resilience of the buildings, ensuring they remain functional and continue to serve their intended purpose.
He further noted that additional funding is being actively sought to expand the maintenance programme to cover more housing units.
The housing minister emphasised that the long-term sustainability of the social housing infrastructure is a key priority for the government.
