Seychelles has officially inaugurated a social housing estate in the western Mahe district of Grand Anse. The Orchid Village, named after the orchid farm formerly located on the site, is part of a 106-unit project constructed at three sites; Grand Anse, Bel Ombre and Takamaka on the main island of Mahe.
The three estates costed US $6.8m funded through grant from the United Arab Emirates through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development. The Grand Anse site has an overall masterplan design for 72 units, out of which 42 have been completed. The project included road and parking infrastructure and a sewage treatment plant which will cater for the future phase of housing development.
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42-unit social housing estate
The grant covered the technical consultancy as well as the construction work. The implementation mechanism from project conceptualization to implementation allowed the participation of local partners and contractors.
GIBB Seychelles was appointed as engineers and project manager, producing a design to ensure that the basic functions of such an estate are up to standards. The building contractor, Mahe Design and Build ensured the implementation of this design is followed accurately.
“Provision of housing remains a priority of Seychelles’ government.The demand for social housing is still high as for the past few years, and the number of houses that we were building was not meeting the demand. There was also the effect of economic reform. We have a backlog that we need to clear and as such, we have a project to build about 3000 houses in the next six years,” said the principal secretary of the Infrastructure Department, Yves Choppy.
The Minister for Habitat, Pamela Charlette on her part, said the housing estates funded by the UAE are a significant contribution towards our housing programme which the ministry and the people of Seychelles are very grateful for.”
