Winners of a lottery for affordable housing expressed their relief last night after it they were told Government will break-ground in two weeks, with building to start in ten.

In a meeting closed to the public last night, Housing Minister David Burch told the winners that the Harbour View Villas project will officially begin on May 31. On June 3, 2005, more than 300 people gathered at CedarBridge Academy to enter the draw for a chance to buy a home for just $199,000. The original project completion date was April 7, 2007.

Speaking after the meeting last night, the winners said they were relieved but cautious about the completion of the scheme. The Southside project at St. David’s has already been scaled down from 198 homes to 108 and will have to be subsidised by $10.5 million in public funds.

Last night, Senator Burch was unavailable for comment and the Government failed to disclose any information about the building project to The Royal Gazette.

But those attending the meeting revealed the plans had changed yet again.

One of the lottery winners, who did not wish to be named, said: “It was the first time we’ve seen a plan and now it is single-level apartments. There will be eight buildings and I estimate between eight to 12 units per building.

“The plans are definitely different from the original concept, but I’ll be happy with a deliverable product at the end.

“We’ve been invited to the ground-breaking on May 31 and once that happens I’ll believe something is happening. But I’m not holding out hope that people will move in in a year.”

He said the project plan differed from the original scheme of two-storey apartments, and the winners were told the design had changed because the site of the original building was moved across the street. This was apparently due to problems with tenants on the original site.

Other delays, revealed at the meeting, were due to an underground water tank the Government needed to dispose of before construction began.

The site change resulted in the change of the project’s name from Harbour Side to Harbour View, according to another lottery winner. He said the first phase of construction was expected to be completed in nine months’ time, with the rest to follow within 27 months.

Despite the delays however, the winners The Royal Gazette was able to talk to said they were relieved they finally had some information and a timescale for construction.