Mauritius, the well-known holiday island in the Indian Ocean, has embarked on diversifying its economy in order to foster economic and social development. With sugar prices dropping, a former sugar cane area of some 400 has directly adjacent to the countrys national airport is going to be converted from agricultural land to a zone for mixed-use urban development. International engineering consultancy provider Royal HaskoningDHV will be designing a multi-sector master plan for this strategically located area.
Dodo bird
The master plan is expected to envisage hotels, a business park, housing, retail and community facilities and a golf course all close to the airport.
The area contains an important heritage site where skeletal remains have been found of the extinct dodo bird. Around this site there are tentative plans for an eco-museum, educational facilities and a Dodo Trail Theme Park.
Urban van Aar, team leader at Royal HaskoningDHV: The overall objective is to assist the Promoter Omnicane Ltd in determining the best development solution for the 400 ha where sugar cane was previously cultivated. The price of sugar has dropped 36% and this project is part of a diversification programme from a sugar-based economy, thereby fostering the countrys economic and social development.
Market study
Royal HaskoningDHV will analyze the different options, assess potential opportunities and risks by means of a market study and determine the associated real estate programme, infrastructure requirements and a phasing of the implementation. All results will be combined in an overall master plan for the area.
Given its scale and location the site is of national importance. The master plan will provide the local and national authorities with a proposal for a long-term framework guiding the spatial development of the area.
Funding for this project was provided by the ACP Investment Facility of the European Investment Bank. Contract value is 686,200 Euros. Royal HaskoningDHV is working together on this project with Rebel for the market study.
