THE Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) on Wednesday officially broke ground for the 1,650-unit Catherine Estate housing project, to be developed in St Catherine, as a joint venture partnership with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), a company known for building roads and bridges.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness was special guest of the agency at the ground-breaking activities for the integrated, sustainable community development which is targeting low-income families, first-time homeowners and public sector workers.

“The creation of formal housing developments and homeownership, in general, carry so many social and economic benefits to the homeowners, their families, the communities and Jamaica, by extension.

Spanning a total of 253 acres of land, in the vicinity of March Pen Road and Quarry Hill, the development is being recognised as one of the largest affordable housing solutions to be built in St Catherine, since the development of Greater Portmore in 1992.

Gary Howell, HAJ managing director, pointed out the need for the public to disregard suggestions that Catherine Estate is just another housing development,

“It is so much more than that.