Construction of houses in Silica City to start in 2023 – Croal

Guyana’s first smart urban centre – Silica City – will see significant works in the new year and according to Housing Minister Collin Croal, this includes the construction of houses which is slated to start in the coming months.
A site in the vicinity of Kuru Kururu on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway has already been earmarked for the development of the first phase of Silica City and land clearing works have been underway.
Croal told Guyana Times on Thursday that the Housing Ministry has embarked on getting clearance for the commencement of construction works on houses within the secondary city.
“You see us advertising for a number of areas for infrastructure works next year. Currently, you’ll see Silica City is on that. That is for clearance for the infrastructure works for us to commence on the houses, ‘cause we’re building some houses there too… I can definitively tell you that in the new year we will be commencing construction of houses at Silica City,” he stated.
Silica City will initially cater for just over 3000 households in the first five years, and eventually grow to house more than 12,500 households when completed.
The first phase of the project will see the first 400 young professional homes being constructed. It was previously reported that the Housing Ministry had already begun shortlisting persons for these homes.
About 3000 acres of land was set aside for the first phase development of the city, which is also expected to feature a number of commercial and industrial developments, including the “Innovation Village”.
Back in September it was disclosed that Government was in talks with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the development of the “Innovation Village” within Silica City.

Then in September, Saudi Arabian-based Dar Consultants made a presentation on the village.
Silica City, a brainchild of President Dr Irfaan Ali since 2013, has generated much interest. According to Minister Croal, those discussions are still ongoing.
“Works are still proceeding behind the scenes. I wouldn’t want to comment further on that… Other things are taking place, but I don’t want to speak further on it,” the Minister indicated.
During the Dar Group presentation at State House in Georgetown, the company officials explained what the “Innovation Village” concept within Silica City would accomplish. For one, it will connect start-ups and business incubators to established companies, maximising their opportunities.
According to the group, the “Innovation Village” will be a geographic area, located within Silica City, where digital and innovative leading-edge anchor institutions and companies cluster and connect with start-ups, business incubators, and accelerators.
It will be physically compact, transit-accessible, and technically-wired, and will offer a mixed use of housing, office, and retail spaces.
Meanwhile, in November, a South Korean company – Yeachon Architect and Urban Planners – also pitched a seven-year plan for the development of Silica City.
According to its proposals via a video presentation, the city will be carbon-free, complete with housing, energy, transportation, healthcare, education and recreational facilities. Mention was made of smart farms, a hypermarket, and a commercial centre. They are proposing that the city could be completed by 2030.
Other Korean and US companies meanwhile made video presentations on what value they could provide to the development of the city.
President Ali had used the opportunity to lobby the local Private Sector to take advantage and partner with these potential investors, especially in areas such as agriculture.
“These guys are here, the Private Sector, the leaders of these organizations. They are ready, they have the finances… this can be done on a massive scale,” the Head of State had stressed.
While 185 acres of land has already been cleared for the first phase of the project, land acquisition for phase two is also in progress through collaborative efforts with the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC). (G8)