A luxury 40-storey twin tower apartment complex by Home Lands Skyline (Pvt) Ltd at Colombo's Thummulla Junction is in the middle of a burgeoning controversy, driven by allegations of zoning violations amidst growing opposition by residents and a special investigation initiated by the Urban Development Authority (UDA).
Clason area residents in Colombo 05 have filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal seeking to cancel the preliminary planning approval granted to Home Lands Skyline for the Pentara Residencies on Havelock Road.
They have argued that the UDA permitted only eight floors of parking and 24 floors of usable space, not a full 40 storey structure.
The project, which includes two towers, is also alleged to have been approved under the wrong zoning classification.
Petitioners insist the land falls under the “Special Primary Residential Development Zone,” a green-density area intended to limit high rise construction.
However, they claim the UDA designated it as a “Medium Density Mixed Development Zone I,” potentially easing height and density controls.
Residents also complained directly to the President, prompting the Presidential Secretariat and subsequently the Prime Minister’s Office to instruct the UDA to conduct a special inquiry into whether its officers used incorrect calculations when granting approval for the 40-storey towers.
An internal UDA committee has reportedly been appointed to investigate whether the approval process was improper or influenced.
Amid the controversy, Home Land Group Chairman Nalin Herath in response to Sunday Times Business query issued a detailed statement strongly defending the project.
He said Pentara Residencies had obtained all required approvals from 11 government agencies, including the UDA, National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), and Central Environmental Authority (CEA).
“Pentara Residencies has secured all necessary statutory approvals from eleven government authorities including the UDA, the NBRO and the CEA thereby ensuring full compliance with all legal and environmental requirements.
The construction process is meticulously monitored with NBRO overseeing daily structural and safety elements underscoring Home Lands’ unwavering commitment to quality, safety and transparency at every stage,” he said.
Herath added that the previous landowner had received UDA clearance in 2016 to build a 60-storey tower on the same site, reinforcing the suitability of the land for high-rise development.
“This fact also reinforces the legitimacy of the present project to build 40 floors, a conscious decision by Home Lands to protect aesthetics and context,” he said.
He dismissed the objections raised by a small group of residents, stating: “These claims have been reviewed and dismissed by the courts, with no legal relief granted against the project.
They do not hold merit and do not reflect the full facts. The project remains fully compliant, legally sound and progressing steadily under regulatory oversight and professional governance.”
Herath further described Pentara Residencies as a symbol of Sri Lanka’s resilience, ambition and economic revival, and said Home Lands continues to demonstrate the ability of local developers to match international standards.
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