MUNICIPALITY DEVELOPMENT

Lautoka to have first gated community

Earthworks are nearing completion for start of the construction of an $8 million gated community housing development in Lautoka.

The project, at Natabua, will have 85 lots, each measuring a quarter acre, with all amenities and infrastructure.

Challenge Group of Companies is the project developer for work that is expected to be completed in September 2021.

Mobile Crane Hire Services of Lautoka, a subsidiary of the Challenge Group, was awarded the contract to carry out the total works beginning from land clearing to installation of all infrastructure, including tar-sealed roads.

Mobile Crane Hire Services general manager, Kishneel Reddy, said the awarding of the contract meant acquiring new machinery for the job.

“We have purchased new bulldozers, excavators, diggers, HIAB and dumper trucks, and water trucks,” he said.

“We have spent $1 million in acquiring all these new machinery, and will be spending another $1 million for more machineries.

New direction

“The mobile crane has been predominantly engaged with drilling boreholes, logistics, transport and mobile crane hire - marking a new direction for the company.”

Mr Reddy said the company was also on the lookout for development works, given the incentives available thropugh the national budget.

“We are putting our name up there with companies who can carry out large scale developments.”

Following the completion of the project, successful buyers will be issued with their individual titles.

“There is not much land in Lautoka where you can now develop and issue titles,” Mr Reddy said.

“We cannot, at this stage, say how much each lot would cost, but it would depend on the market price and and when it is ready.

The total area for the project is around 22 acres, which previously had cane farms.

Photo: Charles Chambers Mukesh with his sons Rachit William Bennion (middle), and Monish William Bennion, at their plantation which is next to the development site of the proposed gated community.