Residents up in arms over proposed high-rise in environmentally sensitive Lake Drive area

IN the heart of Colombo 8, a storm is quietly brewing along the otherwise serene Lake Drive and Lake Gardens. Residents of this leafy neighbourhood are sounding the alarm over a controversial high-rise development that threatens not only the structural and environmental integrity of their surroundings, but the very credibility of Sri Lanka’s urban planning system.

- BY LAKE DRIVE AND LAKE GARDEN COLLECTIVE

At the centre of the dispute lies a 66-perch land parcel recently acquired for a proposed 12-storey residential apartment complex, where active marketing and soil testing are now underway, despite the fact that the project holds only a Preliminary Planning Clearance, or PPC, from the Urban Development Authority (UDA).

The PPC is a strictly conditional document, granting provisional recognition of a development concept and mandating further written approvals from key regulatory institutions before any construction or commercial activity can commence. Yet the developer has proceeded with an aggressive campaign, advertising units, conducting ground tests, and promoting the project, now branded and launched publicly, across platforms like Facebook. This move, seen by many residents as premature and unethical, is now sparking a public backlash and raising serious questions about the breakdown of planning controls.

Residents have captured images of soil drilling rigs operating on-site, while social media posts from early June began inviting prospective buyers to reserve apartments. Detailed preliminary floor plans have been circulated, and several individuals report that sales agents are actively offering units and accepting booking advances. This activity creates the impression that full approvals are already in place, when in fact the regulatory process is far from complete. Under Sri Lankan planning procedures, a PPC alone does not grant the right to market or sell property. It is merely the first stage in a longer process that requires clearance from multiple statutory agencies, including those responsible for environmental protection, building safety, drainage, electricity, and waste management.

Soil exhibits poor bearing capacity