Quite a while ago, while at a party at the Governor's--back in those days when bacon wrapped prunes were served as cocktail hors deourves (very tasty, really)--I was made aware of the sincere concern in some circles of the impending impact on Anguilla of recently approved coastal real estate development, i.e. tourism. At the time I was managing the construction effort for Cinnamon Reef at Little Harbour--the first of the approved late seventies and early eighties expatriate funded resorts.

Development is change--not necessarily improvement. In the unique realm of real estate change can be seen to be (or can convincingly be argued to be) very permanent, quite significant. The knowledge that coastal real estate development has fostered considerable change on Anguilla is not disputed--the great debates revolve around challenges to the value or worth of the changes that have been brought forth.

Concomitantly, and perhaps more importantly, debates are beginning to focus on how to creatively control those changes still to come to Anguilla, with a vision to improving the quality of life on Island-to create a future that is compatible with, and sensitive to, the great traditions of the past. Fundamental to that debate is an awareness of the fact that the structures which are erected, and the manner in which those structures are arranged, define the built environments that constitute the physical fabric of social life. As such, there are artistic and historic--as well as fiscal--responsibilities concerning the development of real estate which should be innovatively shouldered by the developer and his counter part, the government. These social responsibilities are especially pressing when considered within the framework of a land mass and population as finite as ours.

In those societies where governments have moved furthest along the road with regard to creative development relationships, specific goals or targets which it is felt need to be addressed are identified, and then incentives are devised for their completion. For example, in Boston there is an established linkage program, whereby developers interested in developing high-rent downtown office plazas or shopping centers are required to develop low income housing in adjoining urban areas. Other specific examples of negotiated incentive based development include: allowing a developer to build above height limits in exchange for the developer including day care centers or exercise and fitness areas within their projects; allowing a developer to increase plot coverage provided he restores an identified historic landmark; allowing a developer to extend permit schedules provided he donate and maintain a public park, etc.

One can readily see ways in which such negotiations can have interesting results. In Anguilla there are museums to complete, libraries to stock, historic public buildings to renovate, playgrounds to build. Although there is theoretical truth to the fact that such projects could be completed by the public sector alone through collected duties and fees, experience has shown that by focusing a developer or development on an identifiable public benefit, that benefit is more readily realized. In addition, the developer becomes a more integral (and, hopefully, more caring) member of society through his identification with a tangible public good.

Obviously there has to be a balance between the size and scope of the development and the identified public benefit which the developer is asked to adopt. Furthermore, it is apparent that an opportune time to discuss such linkage is during the Alien Land Holder Licence process, keeping in mind this concept of linkage is not to be punitive, but creative. Setting targets too high will discourage the very development needed to get the process started. However with a proper perspective on the strength of the market, the type of development, and the identified public project, very sweet and beneficial societal flowers may begin to bloom.



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