[Photo: FILE]

The iTaukei Lands Trust Board handed over 269 registered 99-year lease documents last week to the Director of Lands under the Waidamudamu Informal Settlement Upgrading Project.

While handing over the leases, iTaukei Lands Trust Board Chief Executive Solomone Nata stated that the occasion marks the successful completion of the upgrading project, implemented under the Ministry of Housing’s Informal Settlement Upgrading Programme.

The project aims to provide long-term land tenure security for residents in informal settlements by issuing leases on fully serviced and subdivided residential lots.

The Waidamudamu project, located along the Kings Highway at Koronivia, covers approximately 13.58 hectares of land known as Waidamudamu and Delaiviwa No. 2.

In 2014, the project was granted a Development Lease, which then progressed through detailed planning, engineering design, infrastructure construction, surveying, subdivision, and statutory approvals.

Engineering consultancy services for the project were awarded to Luveniyali Engineering Consultants in 2015, while civil infrastructure works were undertaken by Multi-Works Pte Limited following a Government Tender Board procurement process.

With all development, survey, engineering and statutory requirements now complete, the project has successfully delivered and formalised 269 surveyed lots, comprising 265 residential lots and four civic lots.

All lease documents have been registered by the Registrar of Titles and are now ready for issuance to tenants through the Director of Lands.

The leases carry a 99-year term, providing occupants with secure tenure and legal recognition of their occupation rights.

For the landowners, namely Yavusa Naivisere, Yavusa Rokotuitai and Yavusa Naisake, they have benefited through lease premiums and rental payments generated by both the development lease and the individual residential leases, with a total income of approximately $1.19 million.