A new government-owned concrete block plant being developed in North Sound is expected to lower construction costs and support the expansion of affordable housing across Antigua and Barbuda.
Chairman of the National Housing Development and Urban Renewal Company, Rawdon Turner, said officials conducted a site inspection this week as the facility moves closer to becoming operational.
Turner said the plant will supply concrete blocks for subsidised homes being built for the public, including properties constructed under the Home Assistance Programme for the Indigent (HAPI).
“We had a site inspection today to get a look at the equipment that we are hoping to bring into operation in the next 60 days,” Turner said.
The project is in its final stage, with machinery expected to undergo testing and calibration in the coming weeks before the facility begins production.
Turner described the plant as a significant development for the construction sector, noting that the availability of concrete blocks has become a challenge amid a surge in building activity.
“This plant is a game changer… construction is at an all-time high in Antigua and Barbuda and availability of blocks in particular has become a challenge,” he said.
Because the government already controls the quarry materials required for block production, officials expect the facility to reduce costs for housing projects while also making blocks available to the wider public at lower prices.
Turner estimated the new plant could reduce the price of blocks by at least 35 percent, creating substantial savings for the National Housing programme.
The facility is also expected to generate employment, with technicians and equipment operators required to run the operation.
“We’re going to need technicians… persons working in the yard, operating the heavy-duty equipment, the forklifts and the wheel loaders,” Turner said, adding that about 20 to 25 jobs could be created in the near future.
Technicians are expected to arrive in Antigua to train local staff and help commission the machinery. If the rollout proceeds as planned, the North Sound plant could come on stream within eight to 12 weeks and play a central role in expanding the country’s affordable housing programme.
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