A Church Dug to Build Its New Home. The Land Slipped Towards a School Classroom

• The Hanover Municipal Corporation served a stop order on Doer of Faith Church of God’s building site
• Excavation on church land in Hopewell caused a land slip beside Hopewell High School
• A classroom block just a few feet away was put at risk
• The church agreed to submit a plan for corrective work

A Hanover congregation’s plan to move out of rented space and into a building of its own ran into trouble in 2023, after excavation on its land triggered a land slip next to a high school. The Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) served a stop order on the development by Doer of Faith Church of God, the Gleaner reported in July.

The church, headed by Bishop Terrence Gordon, currently worships in rented premises in Hopewell. It had begun excavating its property at Orchard Gardens, Hopewell, to prepare for construction. The site sits beside Hopewell High School, and the digging caused land slippage that surfaced in October 2022 and left a classroom block just several feet away in danger.

Staff at the school were alarmed. One member of staff, who was not named, said: “I would not want my child to go in that building if there should be any further breakaway of the land.”

On June 21, church representatives met officials from the Ministry of Education and the school’s administration. The church agreed to submit a corrective work plan by July 5. The HMC, whose chief executive is David Gardner, had already issued an initial stop order, and a further stop and enforcement order was scheduled for July 8. Leonard Jackson, the Ministry of Education’s chief building officer, was also involved.

For churches across Jamaica that are finally ready to build on their own land, this case is a cautionary tale. Owning a lot is only the first step. Site preparation on sloping or unstable ground, especially next to schools, homes or roads, needs proper engineering advice, approved plans and permits from the municipal corporation before the first excavator arrives. Skipping those steps can bring stop orders, costly remedial work and damaged relationships with neighbours. For diaspora members helping to fund church building projects back home, it is worth asking whether approvals and engineering reports are in place before money is spent on the ground.

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