Construction has been halted on the controversial container apartments in St Augustine. Officials of the Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation (TPRC) visited the site on Bedessie Street earlier this week after the article first appeared in the Sunday Guardian. They served the couple a notice to halt construction.
The owners, Rhea Lalla and her husband, Paul Sowden, did not have any form of approval to erect a structure, chairman of the TPRC, Patricia Mejias, told the T&T Guardian yesterday. Despite the couple's assurance on Monday that container homes were safe, durable and eco-friendly, there were no consultation or approvals for construction of 45 8x20 containers into fully-furnished, air-conditioned apartments and an administrative office.
Mejias said she was first aware of the matter when contacted by the Sunday Guardian last week and asked a building inspector to investigate. Mejias said: "The couple seemed to have been wrongly informed about the procedure by persons other than officials in the corporation or Town and Country Planning. "They came in on Tuesday saying they were not aware. We met with them and we advised them of the requirements.
"The building inspector visited the site and informed them that they had to stop construction. They have no approvals. They have no drawing plans." Mejias said while the process of seeking approvals was not a long one the owners had to meet fire and building specifications and approval from Town and Country Planning after which they would receive provisional approval to start building.
"When they are finished they will receive a completion certificate," she added. The T&T Guardian visited the site on Monday and work seemed to be in progress as there were scaffolding around parts of the structure and a shed displaying tools and other building equipment was close by. Lalla and Sowden were excited by their idea. She said: "This is something both my husband and I have put a lot of energy and research into and I really believe in what we are doing here. Container homes are embraced in many countries."