Houston being redeveloped for oil industry

A redevelopment process has already begun at Houston, East Bank Demerara to cater to the oil and gas sector.

Chief Development Planner at the Central Housing and Planning Authority Germene Stewart said the Authority has already processed 44 applications for development in the area.

Stewart said Monday at a press conference that Houston will be redeveloped as part of the Georgetown Development master plan for the oil and gas industry.

Stewart said of the 44 applications, only 39 were given approval.

She explained that applications for chemical storage facilities were not favourably considered.

“We have really [been] proactive in terms of meeting with the developers and land owners at the first round of consultation on how we much forward and to date for the oil and gas sector we have processed 44 of those applications, you will see development that Guyana never experienced before,” Stewart said.

Stewart said a total of 914 business applications, including those for the oil and gas industry, were sent in this year.

“At the end of the year we processed 905 and of those 905, 714 were approved; some that were rejected is based on the land use not in compatible with residential areas,” Stewart said.

The Guyana Shore Base Inc, which currently services the current oil and gas developer offshore Guyana, is based at Houston with plans for major expansion.