WILLEMSTAD – A government inspection has found that one of the apartment buildings under construction in the controversial Zakito development project was built more than four meters higher than allowed under its approved building permit.
The findings are contained in a report by the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning (VVRP) following an inspection carried out by the Project Team for Supervision and Enforcement at the end of April.
The project, developed by Royal Holding Company II BV, consists of eight apartment buildings containing a total of 120 residential units in Zakito.
According to the inspection report, Building 2 has been constructed to a height of approximately 25 meters, while the approved building permit authorized a maximum height of 20.78 meters. Inspectors calculated the difference at 4.22 meters above the permitted limit.
The report also found that several other buildings within the project differ from the plans that were officially approved. Inspectors identified Buildings 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8 as having been constructed using modified structural drawings that were never incorporated into an officially approved amendment to the building permit.
A review of records at the Department of Spatial Planning and Development (ROP) revealed that no formal modification permit had ever been requested or granted for Building Permit 273-2020. Nevertheless, construction proceeded using revised designs that differed from the original approval.
Inspectors described the situation as a “discrepancy between the legally permitted construction and the actual construction carried out on site.”
In their recommendations, the inspectors urged authorities to give priority to reviewing a modification permit that was submitted after the fact. They also called for stricter supervision of ongoing construction activities and advised that portions of the work be halted if necessary.
The report further states that if the deviations cannot be legally regularized, enforcement measures should be taken and the developer required to restore the project to its approved specifications.
The findings have been welcomed by residents' group Movimentu Save Zakitó, which has opposed the project and argued for years that the development was not being carried out in accordance with the approved plans.
Spokesman Edvin Yrausquin said the report confirms concerns repeatedly raised by residents regarding significant deviations from the original permit. According to the group, authorities should have intervened earlier when construction began using modified plans without a formal amendment to the permit.
The residents' organization also raised broader concerns, including potential impacts on nearby mangroves, coral reefs and local fishermen, as well as the absence of an environmental impact assessment.
The legal battle surrounding the development is expected to continue. The Court of First Instance is scheduled to issue its ruling in the ongoing case on June 9.
The outcome of that decision could have major implications for the future of one of Curaçao’s largest residential development projects currently under construction.