French real estate group PR Capital has expressed an interest in an area of land near Roches Noires.
The site, which spans 860 acres, is currently under the ownership of banks BCPE and ABSA (ex-Barclays), who took control of it after its previous owners abandoned a development project in 2010.
Since then, the land has attracted interest from several developers, all of whom have faced opposition from environmentalists who argue that the site holds invaluable ecological value.
Although PR Capital is the fourth company to express an interest in the land, it may face a significant obstacle: the proposed construction of a new airport near the site.
The Northern Airport project, which has been on and off the table for several years, would require a buffer zone around the Smart City development of 20 metres.
Opponents of the development raise important concerns about the environmental and economic impact of another airport in the country, fearing that it could threaten the local ecology and potentially harm the tourism industry.
In response, environmental group Rezistans ek Alternativ has called for the Mauritius government to take ownership of the land and declare it inalienable, rather than allowing it to be developed and potentially destroyed.
The proposals from PR Capital and the land’s previous owners highlight the balancing act required between development and ecological preservation in Mauritius.
It remains to be seen what approach the Mauritian government will take with regards to the development of the site and the potential construction of a new airport.
Source: l’Express
