Construction work being done by Grace Road in Naisoso, Nadi has been stopped by the Nadi Town Council and iTaukei Land Trust Board, and the Department of Environment has also issued a prohibition notice to the company after making an assessment.
Fijivillage received calls from concerned residents in Naisoso on Tuesday that the company was allegedly carrying out development works without proper approvals and that they were also carrying out works on a recreational area.
We then contacted the Nadi Town Council and they rushed to the scene to stop the work. The Council said the company did not have the approval to carry out the construction and a stop work order was already issued.
On Wednesday, the council had to go to the site again as construction was again being carried out despite the stop work order.
The Nadi Town Council confirms that they will take the matter to court as the company went ahead with works despite the stop work order.
Concerns were also raised by Naisoso residents that the construction has resulted in water going into their compounds during heavy rain.
Permanent Secretary for Environment, Joshua Wycliffe says they have made assessments and a prohibition notice has been issued to Grace Road.
He says if the prohibition notice is not followed, the Department of Environment will take the matter to court.
The iTaukei Land Trust Board has also confirmed that it has put a stop to all the works currently undertaken by Grace Road on the piece of land in Naisoso, Nadi.
TLTB says after a backlash by residents in the area, TLTB states that Lot 15 of Naisosovou was a recreational reserve until part of it was rezoned by the Department of Town and Country Planning in 2018.
The Board says the lease was initially given to one of the landowners, Ponijese Lou Rayasi, who later sold to Midwest Holdings Limited on payment of $37,500 being the 25 percent of the sale price to be paid to the landowners under the lease conditions.
TLTB says Midwest Holdings Limited was also intending to sell the same piece of land to Grace Road, however, this has never eventuated as TLTB has not consented to it.
It says due to non-compliance with the many regulatory conditions on how the lease was processed, TLTB will now revoke the lease.
TLTB says as a way forward TLTB will stop all works on the land, revoke and correct the lease since only part of it was rezoned by the Department of Town and Country Planning and not the whole 1430 square metres, carry out a joint consultation with Department and Nadi Town Council including other stakeholders as well as with other residents and tenants of Naisoso to clarify TLTB’s position and also have their views considered.
TLTB says it will only allow the development to take place once the issues surrounding the lease are resolved with concerned parties.
We have contacted Grace Road. They have not responded as yet.
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