The Hol Chan Marine Reserve has withdrawn all previously issued letters of no objection for development projects that have not yet started construction.
In a notice released on Friday, Hol Chan said the decision takes effect “immediately”, but “this retraction does not affect those projects that are currently underway with valid regulatory permits”.
According to the reserve, environmental conditions and coastal development standards change over time, meaning approvals based on earlier site inspections may no longer reflect current realities, especially if “a long period of time has passed”.
Anyone wishing to move forward with a stalled project must now resubmit a request before any work can begin.
The reserve also reminded the public that a no‑objection letter is not a final permit, and all development inside the reserve requires both its approval and verification of permits from other authorities before construction can begin.
The notice comes three weeks after the government imposed a six-month moratorium on the approval and construction of buildings taller than 45 feet or more than 3 floors in four coastal communities, though that measure does not specifically apply to the marine reserve.
Cabinet’s decision had followed calls from environmental groups for a suspension of all development approvals within protected areas and sensitive habitats until proper community consultation could take place.
