No existing laws to prevent container homes in BVI
Amid the public debate about the construction of container homes in the BVI, the Town & Country Planning Department has confirmed that there are no laws to prevent the construction of these structures in the territory.
Earlier this week, BVI News reported that radio talk show host and clergyman Pastor Claude Skelton Cline expressed that container homes have the potential to devalue the ‘housing stock’ and shouldn’t be allowed in the territory.
But the Head of Town & Country Planning, Greg Adams told BVI News “there are no laws or regulations which prohibit the use of container homes in the BVI.”
Adams also said the Planning Department does not have any issues with container homes, once persons receive approval to build their dwellings.
He also confirmed that container homes are not on the rise in the BVI. “I am aware of one property that was approved for a container home that is presently under construction,” Adams stated.
Speaking on his Honestly Speaking radio show on October 18, Skelton Cline said he noticed that large shipping containers were being used to construct a building in his neighbourhood.
However, Skelton Cline said he is totally against these types of dwellings because he believes they are also unsuitable to withstand certain natural disasters that usually affect the BVI.
Since the BVI News report, some members of the public have expressed that they agree with Skelton Cline.
Others have disagreed, stating that container houses are a good option, especially for young persons who lack the capital to build expensive homes.
BVIslanders generally take pride in building and preserving multi-storey and multi-generational homes. Many use their properties as a source of income — renting to expatriates or hosting short-term renters such as Airbnb guests.
At the same time, many homes in the territory were destroyed or damaged in September 2017 when hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged the BVI.
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If some people have half ah brain they would pay attention to the aftermath of IRMA!
Do as you please
I think Container homes can be very attractive. Not particularly safe in a hurricane though. If certain strict standards and rules are adhered to they can be a great idea for affordable housing! Not everyone can afford to build at these prices! However the last thing anyone would want is a shanty town full of unkempt ugly container homes! Proper regulations in place for a high standard could work!
Don’t build them near me for the next hurricane they fly and damage my property
Even if it did does this joke of a public servant enforce anything????
Irma did not like two things. Wooden homes or structures and containers. We all saw how it ripped anything made of wood apart and tossed containers crushing them some distance from their original post. How are you going to anchor these container so they don’t blow away in the event (God forbid) of another …
It is nonsense to assume container homes can’t be made hurricane safe. They are safer and stronger than a wood frame home!
Using a combination of concrete slabs with pilings for the foundation would make a container home much safer than a traditional Caribbean home.
If they are properly secured to their foundations they are more sturdy and resistant to the effects of certain category of hurricanes than concrete houses. For one thing their roof cannot blow off because they are an enclose metal boxes.They will also survive a greater magnitude earthquake than a concrete house.
The containers that was flying in Irma was not secured,
A set of ill advised and uneducated bloggers pretending that they are an authority on a subject.
Not everyone gets free money from the government, some people actually want to live within their means. If they can make a home from a container what is that to you? How can you speak to this but not the questions asked at the COI?
I am sure there is a way to anchor container homes, that’s one of the things Town & Country Planning Department has to put in place. these are not the days when a young family can build a house, so the container homes are a good option for them.
Paster only saying that because someone doing one right next to he.
There is a container home already built in Carrot Bay – just behind the Seventh Day church. It looks great.
I guess some people do not think of others who are living paycheck to paycheck. It’s not everyone in our society gets consultants jobs worth hundreds of thousands and can build a mansion. As long as there’s no rule against container homes and the builders can make them as safe as possible, they be given the chance to build. Look on these DIY container homes and see how much better they look after building. Them again, if the preacher would believe what he preaches, he would know no matter how much you acquire in this life, it would not guarantee you a spot in heaven. Build your affordable homes. Mansions are prepared for the faithful.
This was never about whether container homes were legal in the BVI, but more that Claude was upset that his new neighbor had constructed a container home legally on their property. The property is close to Claude’s home, which he feels is bringing down the property value.
Not everybody did get easy money from the Governent and did not work hard for it all it takes is proper engineering and its not hard.
Claude needs to go sit his stupid @ss down. who he is to tell people how to spend their money or even how to build. He done rip the GOV off and collect easy money.
What can he enforce when he built so close to the road that his tenants have to park in the road. When he has a function it’s like h**l to pass there. Then he harass certain people. Stupes
Been checkin these. Totally cat 5 able if attached rt. Also maybe bvi adopt some address system like 1st world got 150 years ago. Maybe a zoning regulation regime so place looks more like Saint Barts and less like Haiti because of all the intelligence in these islands and of all the intelligence lacking, one thing seems to be a universal truth that tourism is good for us and second home values make everyone wealthy so the rest of the world that is advanced uses something called zoning or maybe we’d call it, grown Up development 101. This requires planning this is how we do our best to make the future as good as possible it does not happen with this West Indian I could do whatever I want in my backyard horseshit. Advanced societies are built by teamwork, not bush ass mother Sc— sucking teeth of any cooperation asked to further the collective wealth.
Everybody a talk bout Hurricane hurricane I know container home can and will stand up in a hurricane once built and engineered properly let’s talk the bigger picture like an earthquake bet y’all big wall mansions will come tumbling down and the same container homes will be your shelters
Why dont cline be concerned about the high price of rent and ppl cant afford to pay them. He is concerned about the image of the bvi.