Work is close to starting on the 96-home Loughlands project, Housing Minister said yesterday, although protests have been received.

?I do not have a lot of patience for bureaucracy... but we are very close now to actually starting the project,? he told the Senate yesterday.

He said he hoped that Loughlands, in Paget, would help take pressure off the rental sector when completed, as people move out of rented accommodation and into the new homes. The first public/private partnership offers first-time buyers a home within a price range of $450,000 to $500,000 ? well below the Island?s average of $1 million.

Objections have been lodged, he revealed, but he said this was expected because ?it?s in Paget?.

Elsewhere, he said that two floors had been revamped at a building in Southside to help house people who had left the now closed New Canadian Hotel, while a purpose built emergency housing complex for single mums and families is being built at Southside to augment the current facility.

The North Street emergency housing project offering shelter for up to 200 people in need is progressing, he added, with the contract for the design stage awarded two months ago.

The new 100-unit seniors project at Rockaway is moving along ?quite smartly?, the Senate heard, and the target date is still June next year.

However, Sen. Burch told the Senate that a major seniors housing project at St. George?s must be delayed because of the Government?s decision to restore rather than demolish two historic buildings on site.

Referring to previous criticism from the UBP on collective responsibility in Cabinet, he said that the Government was united on delivering new housing, with details on more public/private projects in the pipeline.

In response, said that money wasted on projects like Berkeley could have been spent on new housing.

?That?s what people are saying,? she added. ?People who live in caves and cars just can?t afford to even survive.?