Richard Lee, a London businessman, is behind the project. He swears that it was all born out of a “what if . . .” conversation with the architect Richard Hywel Evans over lunch some time in mid-2003.

The two were on the island working on the reconstruction of Mr Lee’s own house at Mount Hartman Bay, a short distance away across the L’Anse aux Epines peninsula. “The location of the old boatyard is so stunning we started enviously doodling away on paper table napkins of what we would do if it was ours,” Mr Lee says. A couple of months later — the first deal having fallen through — he and his partners acquired the site and dusted off the old sketches. Largely unaltered, they form the backbone of what is taking shape there now — although a flurry of heavy-duty architectural and engineering work has gone in since, led by the award-winning Richard Hywell Evans Architecture and Design practice.

Grenada suffered its worst devastation in 50 years when it was hit by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. About 40 per cent of its buildings were destroyed and plantations were torn up, putting agriculture back by years.

But it’s an ill wind . . . a hydrographic study of the bay commissioned by the architects was still in progress when Ivan struck, enabling actual severe wave and wind effects to be measured. “You could say we were fortunate to have the hurricane at mid-study stage,” says Mr Evans. “We were able to adapt our designs, switching to specially designed steel frames. The structures and glazing will withstand winds of over 200 kph.”

Known as “Spice Island” for its abundant nutmeg, mace, cinnamon and ginger, Grenada is the southernmost of the Windward Isles, lying just 100 miles from Venezuela. It has a tropical climate and balmy year-round temperatures, with daily highs averaging 30C (85F). Inland from the indented coastline, with its sheltered bays and secluded beaches, lies a rugged mountainous area of rainforests and waterfalls.

The island, measuring barely 24 by 12 miles, was first spotted by Columbus in 1498. It was swapped by Carib Indians with the French for a few hatchets and glass beads in the mid-1600s, and fell into British hands a hundred years later. The island became an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1974. For Richard Lee, Grenada remains largely an undiscovered island. “It’s one of those places you just keep wanting to come back to,” he says.

Paul Rogers, of the estate agent Hamptons International, which is handling sales, says: “This is the first gated development with its own marina and hotel. There is nowhere else like it on Grenada. At the moment there are only 1,000 quality hotel beds on the island. Sandals the luxury hotel chain is coming, and along with Prickly Bay may actually grow the market.”

Peter “Champie” Evans, a Grenada real estate agent who is a partner in Prickly Bay, says: “Prices in this part of Grenada have doubled in the past five years. But even so, houses in a location like this would cost you twice as much on Barbados. Rentals here are very strong, and it’s a year-round market. There is a scarcity of really good villas, and you need to book a year ahead to get the best places.”

With some building plots doubling in price in the past year, Grenada is moving up a gear. Prickly Bay sets a design standard all of its own. The next Sandy Lane perhaps? That’s limin’.

Selling agent: www.hamptons-int.com 0870 1110047
www.rhe.uk.com

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