Clearing the existing housing application backlog of 80,000 would require developing 20,000 acres of land, which is equivalent to nearly half of Antigua’s landmass, President Dr Irfaan Ali revealed on Thursday night.
“I am telling you now, about the 80,000 (applications) in the system, 20,000 acres of new land must be developed.
“Now, to give you an understanding of the scale and magnitude of that, it is almost 32 square miles, which is 20% the size of Barbados’ landmass, and almost half the size of Antigua’s landmass,” President Ali disclosed at the opening ceremony of Building Expo 2025.
President Dr Irfaan Ali speaking at the opening ceremony of Building Expo 2025 (Photo: DPI/August 14, 2025)
He explained that while land has already been allocated to build 30,000 houses, the outstanding applications represent a far larger challenge that will demand unprecedented investment and planning.
“That is a development that we must invest in to satisfy this additional 80,000 lots that are required.
“…This is not about driving around in a fancy car. This is careful planning…This is about precision. This is about continuous work around the clock,” President Ali said.
He said the PPP/C government will continue to work with the private sector to ensure the housing targets are met. In the past five years, the government allocated over 50,000 house lots.
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