The aim of the NLUP and NPDP is to enable effective Land Use Planning in a coordinated and structured manner. This will improve the Physical Planning Division's capacity to properly manage land development by addressing conflicts and changes in land use and challenges faced by the negative impacts of Climate Change. The NLUP and NPDP will provide the framework to guide the development of Dominica in a sustainable manner. The project is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in collaboration with the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Consulting Team: Dillion Consulting Ltd., Canada

Public Education and Communication Strategy (PECS) Consultant: Kenneth Green, Dominica

Duration of Project: 2013 - 2015

For more information see Events Calender under the same heading

• Legal Framework of a National Physical Development Plan

  "The Authority may prepare or cause to be prepared and thereafter keep under review a development plan - (a) for Dominica as a whole, which shall be called a National Physical Development Plan; (b) for any specified part of Dominica, which shall be called by the name of the part of Dominica to which it relates." Part III 9.(1) Physical Planning Act 5 (2002)

• Rationale for Preparation of National Land Use Policy and National Physical Development Plan

  Dominica does not have a National Land Use Policy therefore land use planning has been ad hoc, resulting in lack of proper management of land resources for promotion of the public interest and general welfare. Several laws exist to ensure that land in Dominica is utilized properly however, the multi-stakeholder nature of land utilization and the lack of a comprehensive land use policy framework have resulted in: (a) confusion due to inconsistent laws on land utilization; (b) continued negative environmental effect on land; and (c) conflicts among different sectors due to competing land uses such as agriculture, tourism, housing, forestry, commercial, industrial and the environment.

  Over the past years, the island has experienced severe natural disasters that have highlighted the vulnerability of the island to natural disasters. These include the major landslide in the Layou Valley in 1997 which led to the formation of the Matthieu Dam on a tributary of the river; the subsequent collapse of the dam during heavy rains in 2011 which caused the spillage millions of tons of debris into the Layou River and surrounding coastal waters, threatening nearby settlements, commuters and livelihoods; an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 which caused extensive damage to structures in the north of the island and the continued threat of volcanic activity; recent heavy rainfall associated with hurricane Ophelia which caused extensive and costly destruction in some communities located close to rivers and ravines; major landslides on steep slopes which have resulted loss of lives and property in some inland communities. The impact of climatic events on coastal settlements is similarly devastating. Both the capital city, Roseau and the second town of Portsmouth have experienced serious inundation from record level waves associated with sea level rise. There is also concern over housing developments taking place in ecologically sensitive areas that are part of the country's ecological patrimony. One such area is at the foothills of Morne Trois Pitons World Heritage site which is also a major river watershed.

  Changing trends in physical development also pose a challenge to land use and land management on the island. The Global shift in tourism demand for destinations which offer more sustainable forms of tourism such as ecotourism and adventure tourism, has increased the focus on Dominica as a preferred destination. Hence there has been a significant increase in demand for land for such types of development, especially by foreigners. The most sought after sites are located in close vicinity to rivers and in remote forested areas. This situation presents opportunities for the development of the tourism Industry on the island, which has lagged behind other Caribbean destinations. However it poses severe challenges due to outdated land laws and policies. The downturn of the Banana Industry has sustained and encouraged this growing demand for land due to the attractive prices offered particularly by foreigners. This unregulated conversion of lands from agriculture to tourism, threaten food security.

  There is an urgent need for a National land Use Policy to guide the country on a path to sustainable development. The process of policy preparation provides for a compromise position to develop for conflicting interest. Therefore the National Land Use Policy will provide a clear, sound and modern framework to guide such compromise. Dominica’s Growth and Social Protection Strategy (GSPS) identifies the Environment as an area to be targeted for action. The GSPS states that areas of environmental degradation will be investigated to develop sustainable approaches to natural resource use. Dominica’s Medium-Term Growth and Social Protection Strategy (2008) which sets the macro- economic and policy framework for the medium-term has also stressed the need for a national land use plan with a multi-sectoral view, which will support the Physical Planning Division and other related Government agencies and departments such as lands and Surveys and the Ministry of Agriculture. A Reform Management Unit on Land Tenure and Administrative Reform has recently been established. As part of this project the human resource, the IT capacity and training requirements of agencies involved in lands administration have been assessed and developed and a report submitted with proposal for land tenure reform.

• Activities of 2013

  Workshop on Mainstreaming Climate Change into the National Land Use Policy and National Physical Development Plan (May 9, 2013)

  The aim of the workshop was to discuss the mainstreaming of climate change aspects into the National Land Use Policy and National Physical Development Plan.

  The workshop facilitator was Dr. Hans-Peter Winkelmann, Climate Change Specialist at the Global Climate Change Alliance, Climate Support Facility (GCCA CSF), of the European Commission. The Physical Planning Division has secured technical support from the GCCA CSF to carry out a preparatory vulnerability assessment and to produce a report with priority actions to reduce current vulnerabilities in Dominica.

  Participants were:

  1. introduced to the principles of and need for climate change mainstreaming in national policy;
  2. provided with an overview of the theoretical background of vulnerability assessment studies and the methodologies commonly used; and
  3. presented with the findings of the vulnerability assessment carried out in Dominica and the measures proposed.

  The following presentations were given:

  Project for the development of a NLUP and NPDP

  Why and How Mainstreaming Climate Change into National Policies and Strategies

  Climate Change Vulnerability in Dominica

  Requests for Consultancy (February - March 2013)

  The objective of the consultancy is improved Physical Planning Department capacity to manage technical and policy constraints to effective land use planning in a coordinated and structured manner. The duration of the assignment is expected to be for a period of fourteen (14) months.

  The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Fisheries, now invites interested eligible consulting firms to submit Expressions of Interest for the provision of these consultancy services.

  Consultants shall be eligible to participate if:

  • in the case of a body corporate, it is legally incorporated or otherwise organised in an eligible country, has its principal place of business in an eligible country and is more than 50 per cent beneficially owned by citizen(s) and/or bona fide resident(s) of eligible country(ies) or by a body(ies) corporate meeting these requirements;
  • in the case of unincorporated firms, the persons are citizens or bona fide resident or residents of an eligible country; and
  • in all cases, the consultant has no arrangement and undertakes not to make any arrangements, whereby any substantial part of the net profits or other tangible benefits of the contract will accrue or be paid to a person not a citizen or bona fide resident of an eligible country.

  Eligible countries are member countries of the CDB.

  In the assessment of submissions, consideration will be given to technical competence, qualifications and experience, local and regional experience on similar assignments, financial capability and existing commitments. All information must be submitted in English. Further information may be obtained from the first address below between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm on Mondays and between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Tuesday to Friday. Three (3) hard copies of the Expressions of Interest must be received at the first address below no later than 4:00 pm on March 8, 2013 and one (1) hard copy must be sent simultaneously to CDB at the second address below. The sealed envelope containing each submission should include the name and address of the applicant and shall be clearly marked "Expression of Interest – Consultancy Services for Development of a National Land Use Policy, and a National Physical Development Plan - Commonwealth of Dominica".

  Following the assessment of submissions, a short-list, of not less than three, and not more than six applicants will be provided with full terms of reference and invited to submit technical and financial proposals to undertake the assignment. GOCD reserves the right to accept or reject late applications or to cancel the present invitation partially or in its entirety. It will not be bound to assign any reason for not short-listing any applicant and will not defray any costs incurred by any applicant in the preparation and submission of Expressions of Interest.

  Address 1:

  Chief Physical Planner
  Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Fisheries
  Physical Planning Division
  3 Charles Avenue
  Goodwill
  COMMONWEALTH OF DOMINICA W.I
  Tel: (767) 266 3751/2/3
  Fax: (767) 448 7999
  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  Address 2:

  The Procurement Officer
  Caribbean Development Bank
  Wildey, St. Michael
  BARBADOS, W.I.
  Tel: (246) 431 1600
  Fax: (246) 426 7269
  Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.