The government is wrapping up consultations with communities, land owners and other stakeholders as it prepares to move into construction on a major redevelopment of National Heroes Park and the Parliament precinct.
Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says the consultation phase follows almost five years of planning and should conclude shortly, paving the way for infrastructure work to begin.
He says the development will extend beyond the 51-acre National Heroes Park to include the Heroes Circle road network and the regeneration of the surrounding Corporate Area.
The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) has been tasked with executing the project, which the government says will stimulate development and support urban renewal.
Dr. Holness says the failure to fully develop the area over the years has contributed to its deterioration and diminished the dignity expected of a nationally important site.
He says Jamaica needs to take a different approach to the development of public and heritage assets, warning that leaving important properties unused can lead to their misuse and further decline.
The Prime Minister also says the country must no longer accept urban deterioration, unsanitary conditions, disorder and congestion as normal features of Jamaica’s public spaces.
The wider vision for National Heroes Circle includes a purpose-built campus to house the Houses of Parliament and other government facilities.
The government says the development is intended to drive economic growth, renew the Corporate Area and transform one of Kingston’s most significant national sites.