Jamaica’s national planning authority is reinforcing its call for taller, more compact buildings in urban areas, as pressure mounts on land availability, housing supply, and environmental protection. The approach, led by the National Environment and Planning Agency, is intended to curb urban sprawl while reshaping how cities and towns grow in the years ahead.
Speaking at a recent public policy forum hosted by the Jamaica Information Service, a senior official from the agency outlined why vertical development is increasingly central to Jamaica’s planning strategy. The emphasis, planners say, is on maximising the use of land already designated for urban development rather than continuing the outward spread of low-density construction.
Urban sprawl has become a growing concern across Jamaica, particularly around Kingston, Montego Bay, and expanding parish capitals. As housing, commercial activity, and infrastructure push steadily outward, development has increasingly encroached on agricult…
