Need for consultation on Speaker’s old house

THE EDITOR: There are recent reports in the media, both traditional and social, regarding the residence in St Clair previously occupied by Speakers of the House of Representative, which has been abandoned for a few years. Reports include that the residence is being sold by the State to a private individual, and that the Urban Development Corporation of TT (Udecott) has been commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs to provide conceptual designs for a new building, either for the ministry’s new location or for chanceries for small States (depending on which source is read).

Whereas we understand that the proposed sale had been in process some time ago, we are reliably informed that this no longer pertains.

The National Trust website indicates that Jackson Square, which the residence borders, is at Stage 2 of the process under the National Trust Act of becoming a heritage site — Stage 2 being the “identification and inclusion of heritage site on inventory of properties.”

We understand that the Town and Country Planning Division of the Ministry of Planning and

Development recognised Jackson Square as a historic district. This means in brief that the area is considered to have a group of sites, buildings or properties of historical or architectural significance or interest.

Therefore, any change to the fabric or nature of any entity within that group impacts the status of the district as a whole.

An important aspect of this status is that the Jackson Square area is a backdrop to and extension of the Magnificent Seven and the Queen’s Park Savannah.

Further, we are aware that this part of St Clair is zoned for low-density residential use by Town and Country.

The residence is a State-owned property — the State at all times being the people of TT. Government is “of the day” — whichever political party is in power at a point in time pursuing their policies and agenda.

Property like the residence is not meant to be arbitrarily nor autonomously manipulated by any government to meet such policies and agenda.

It is entrusted to the Government to manage on behalf of the people, which should require consultation with the public and with relevant stakeholders on any intended disposal, alteration or use.

There is a suggestion that the property is in a dilapidated state and must be condemned and demolished. We understand that the Ministry of Works and Transport’s Historical Restoration Unit carried out a condition survey on the property. We have not seen any official reference to this and the results.

In light of the foregoing, the TT Institute of Architects supports the concerns expressed in various quarters by the National Trust, Citizens For Conservation, and other groups and citizens about the recent processes surrounding the residence. We are of the position that the heritage site status identified for Jackson Square, and the residential zoning for the area must be respected.

As well, we believe that, if the Historical Restoration Unit has indeed conducted a condition survey of the property, this should be shared, and if not, one should be undertaken expeditiously.

Most of all, we must move away from unilateral decisions being made regarding State (public) property, in particular, in such relevant instances. Consultation with relevant stakeholders and interested groups and individuals must become the practice.

As such, the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Udecott, Town and Country, and any other State ministry, agency, company, division, unit or other relevant body should reconsider the trajectory of the proposed project at this time and engage in such consultation prior to any further decision regarding the residence.

TT Institute of Architects

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"Need for consultation on Speaker’s old house"

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