Construction will begin next August and covers an area of 9.6 million square meters.
SANTO DOMINGO.– The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMRN) approved the environmental license for the development of the Punta Bergantín tourism project in the province of Puerto Plata, which will allow construction work on its various components to begin next August.
Andrés Marranzini Grullón, executive director of the Punta Bergantín tourism project, explained that the environmental authorization covers an area of 9.6 million square meters and excludes the use of infrastructure construction in wetlands, mangroves, dunes, marshes, ravines, and any other area of environmental vulnerability within the project's development area.
The Trust for the Economic and Social Development of the Punta Bergantín Zone (Punta Bergantín Trust), is an initiative of the Dominican Government managed by the Reserve Bank and the Ministry of Tourism, and its objective is to "put Puerto Plata back on the world tourist map", betting on the "power of its natural beauty" and the human quality of its people.
The license approves the construction of 9 hotels, with apartment buildings, villas, mixed-use town houses, and commercial use; Innovation Center; film studios, administrative offices, hospital area, Golf Club, Beach Club, and Tennis Club, club for the apartment area, equestrian club and theme park.
Today, the project has agreements with developers for the development of three hotels to date: an 800-room Hyatt Ziva and Zilara, a 400-room Melia Hotel (a joint investment between Melia Hotels and Grupo Punta Cana), and a 300-room Karisma Hotel.
This initiative, specified by the Punta Bergantín Trust, has a comprehensive development approach and aims to house at least 4,500 hotel rooms, 2,000 tourist and mixed-use residential units, publicly accessible beach clubs, and the creation of a unique theme village in the region, in addition to a film studio and an innovation center.
The MMRN also orders the establishment of a hydrological zoning, prioritizing areas of wetlands, water production, and biodiversity conservation to guarantee a mandatory 30-meter protection strip on both sides of existing river currents, and on the banks of lakes, lagoons, and reservoirs.
In addition, it will specifically respect a 30-meter buffer zone on both banks of the rivers, streams, and creeks in Muñoz, Jacuba, Limonal, Chicigua, Polanco, and Atollador, which cross and border the project's development area. It will also respect the 30-meter buffer zone around Laguna Bergantín.
The developer will comply with best practices in environmental land-use planning, establish hydrological zoning, prioritizing wetland areas, water production and biodiversity conservation, among others.
This initiative, the project indicates, “pays tribute to Puerto Plata as the country's first tourist destination, and recognizes this region's contribution as a leader and pioneer in positioning the Dominican Republic as one of the leading tourist hubs in Latin America and the world,” a press release highlights.
