Ramps Logistics Guyana is pursuing the development of a US$5 million luxury apartment in the South American country in response to the housing demand brought on by the budding oil sector. The country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required to be conducted for the project
Named Sky House, Ramps said the name was inspired by the rooftop amenities provided by the complex and views of the ocean. The architecture of the building was also done with a lot of emphasis to ensure it “exemplified luxury” given the nearby amenities and excellent proposed location – just off the Railway Embankment Road, north of the Arthur Chung Conference and Giftland Mall on Guyana’s coast.
Project documents submitted to the EPA said the building will sit on a plot of land with dimensions 122ft x 99ft (0.28 acre), the building dimensions are 86ft x 78ft (6,785 sq.ft for each floor).
The apartment building will have 16 self‐contained apartments – four on each floor – and 25 car parking spaces on the ground floor. It will also house a gym, pool, and green space on the rooftop. Each two-bedroom apartment will be approximately 1200 sq. ft and each three-bedroom apartment will be 1800 sq. ft.
The EPA in a separate notice outlined its reason for the EIA exemption.
It said that:
- Stormwater runoff from the property will be removed from the site by perimeter drains.
- Air quality impacts will be low and short term; wet suppression of stockpiles of sand during construction activities and the use of ready-mix concrete will where possible. Impacts from noise will be low to moderate and primarily during construction.
- Intermittent use of equipment will be employed to mitigate noise impacts and the generator will be equipped with silencers and mufflers.
- Non-hazardous waste will be disposed of in receptacles, and then for final disposal at approved Landfill. Waste oil will be removed by the company responsible for servicing construction equipment and the generator.
- The project is not in close proximity to any sensitive ecosystem.
The EPA pointed out that the exemption is in no way an indication that the project has been approved.
