Council row over 'special' lands...

By MOHAMMED AL A'ALI
COUNCILLORS are demanding to know why no construction is being allowed on three plots of land in the Seef District.
They say the plots have not been earmarked as residential or commercial, which means they cannot be developed.
The lands have instead been designated as "special", but the Manama Municipal Council does not know why.
One councillor claimed that areas designated as "special" in the past had later been used to build privately owned properties on without permission from the council.
However, he declined to give examples.
Manama Municipality director-general Abdulkarim Hassan told councillors during a meeting that they had been set aside because they were located near Bahrain Fort, which is classified as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.
"We haven't decided on any classification for these lands since the Information Ministry responsible for the site has told us they will be used as a part of the fort's village," he said.
"Whenever we plan to use them the council will be informed about it since they are classified as special and requires the council's consent on any plan."
However, councillors could not understand why all three plots had been classified as "special".
The council's technical committee chairman, Jaffar Al Qaidoom, said one piece of land was located near the fort, but the others were located close to residential areas.
"From what I see these two lands are surrounded by buildings, which means that they could be used for future developmental projects - or even leased out to private investors," he said.
"The land near the fort could be also used by the Information Ministry or any other organisation, with the stipulation that the buildings they construct doesn't exceed three storeys.
"Under UN rules, the fort should be visible within a specified area and I don't believe that three storeys would block people's view."
Councillor for the area, Mohammed Mansoor, said he had visited the three lands previously and found them to be away from the fort.
"It is true that one is close to the fort, but it is not that close and I am still unsure about the reason it has been classified as special," he said.
"Even if we leave this one out of our calculations, what about the two others?
"The problem is that many places are classified as special and any request to acquire them is brought to the council.
"Sometimes we refuse permission for their acquirement, but then suddenly we see them turned into a multi-storey commercial building.