MP Questions Flood-Zone Villa Permits at La Mivoie, Black River

A Mauritian opposition MP is raising serious questions about how a luxury villa development received planning permits on land officially classified as a flood risk — and whether proper environmental checks were carried out before construction was allowed to proceed. Joanna Bérenger, Member of Parliament, visited La Mivoie in the Black River (Rivière-Noire) district and shared photos and documents on Facebook on Tuesday, 7 October, highlighting what she describes as a troubling contradiction between environmental mapping and development approvals. **The project in question** The development is a 24-villa project called "Les Gorges," being built under Mauritius's Property Development Scheme (PDS) — a government-regulated framework that allows foreigners to purchase residential property on the island. PDS projects are typically high-end developments and must meet a range of regulatory requirements before permits are granted. The site sits at La Mivoie, sandwiched between the Saint-Martin feeder canal and the Grande Rivière Noire river — a location Bérenger says is directly connected to the island's natural water drainage network. **The flood risk concern** Bérenger points to two key documents. First, a 2023 classification that identified the area as a "flood risk area." Second, the Land Drainage Master Plan — made public in 2025 — which maps out Riverine Flooding Areas, No-Go Zones, and No-Expansion Zones across Mauritius. She argues the Les Gorges site falls within this sensitive drainage corridor. "How can a zone considered a flood risk area in 2023 now host PDS developments in 2026?" she asked publicly. **A contradiction at the heart of government** What makes this case particularly striking is an apparent disagreement between two officials on whether environmental clearance was ever obtained. The President of the Black River District Council — the local authority responsible for the area — stated in a broadcast on the MBC (Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster) that environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment is required before any building permit can be issued. However, the Minister of Environment told the daily newspaper L'Express on 5 October that no such environmental clearance had been granted for the project. Bérenger is now calling for full clarification on how the permits were issued, who approved them, and whether the correct legal procedures were followed. **What this means** This story touches on a broader concern in Mauritius: whether high-value real estate developments — which generate significant foreign investment — are being fast-tracked in ways that bypass environmental safeguards. The Land Drainage Master Plan was specifically designed to prevent construction in areas prone to flooding, a recurring problem in Mauritius during heavy rainfall. If permits were issued for a site that falls within a protected drainage zone, it could set a damaging precedent — and put future residents of those villas at risk during cyclone season or intense tropical rains. The case also raises accountability questions: if two arms of government are giving contradictory accounts of whether environmental clearance exists, someone is not telling the full story. Bérenger has called for transparency and is seeking official clarification from the relevant ministries. Source: ION News