Government Assessing Proposals for Future Use of Vale Royal
The Vale Royal property is over 300 years old. It was renovated in the 1980s and designated as the official residence of the Prime Minister. In recent times, successive Prime Ministers have not used it for this purpose as the facilities are insufficient. In 2013, the building was assessed as having significant structural problems that would limit its use. The state of repair of the building is such that routine repair work would not be sufficient, and it would require extensive rehabilitation. Given its status as a heritage site, options for its repair or rehabilitation must be carefully considered. The Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) has proposed that the facility be repurposed to include a library and museum that would be a repository of documents and memorabilia of all Prime Ministers of Jamaica. Another proposal involves the development of Vale Royal as a protocol complex, which will host dignitaries that visit Jamaica from time to time, or as was done previously, to host functions. A team from the JNHT recently conducted a site inspection and will be submitting a report for assessment. The Government is currently in the process of effecting temporary protective works on the building. and evaluating proposals for future use considering its heritage status.