Silica City’s master plan to be unveiled at Building Expo 2024

The master plan for Silica City, billed as Guyana’s second city, which will incorporate a modern and sustainable design, will be revealed at the upcoming International Building Expo, Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal said Tuesday.

The Silicia City project includes shopping centres, apartment complexes, condos, hotels, restaurants, and other facilities.

In addition to green areas and other facilities, the state-of-the-art development will include smart homes outfitted with the newest energy-saving technologies.

Construction of the first 100 houses at the site is expected to be completed by the end of October 2024.

“We would have said to this nation that we will bring a city to the highway. The city will be built out.

“We intend to have the master plan unveiled during our Building Expo on August 8,” Croal told the News Room on Tuesday.

The master plan is being developed in partnership with the University of Miami.

Silica City will be established along the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. The project aims to address the impacts of climate change and sea level rise, as well as the issues associated with the growth of non-coastal urban settlements.

In terms of the houses, Croal said 76 of the first 110 houses that have already allocated are at the foundation stage.

There are four designs of the houses which altogether carries an investment of about $3B.

The cost, Croal noted, does not include infrastructural works that are also being executed such as land clearing and the construction of concrete drains.

“This is only the first phase.

“Currently the beneficiaries are being sent to the bank for pre-qualification because persons over the period would have expressed interest but not being able to access one of the houses there in Silicia City”.

At this point, Croal noted all investments are locally funded.

“Absolutely. All Government of Guyana money being used,” he said.