BEST’s Concerns About Fairmont Development
The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] said it has become aware of a development planned at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel, and asked people who may object to submit an objection letter to planning.
Checking the planning website shows that application number #P0382/13 was received on 18th November 2013, and lists a “Proposed (3) Three Bedroom Residential Villas. Phase 1 of Fairmont Southampton Resort Master Plan – Special Development Order 2009.”
The hotel was granted a Special Development Order [SDO] in 2009 to build 130 residential units, with 71 fractional units for tourists and 37 residential villas to to available to sell to non-Bermudians. You can read the full SDO here [PDF].
The environmental group said that “the public should be aware that segments of the now mostly-green hillsides and landscape surrounding FSP are eventually going to be transformed from green and open space to the concrete and tarmac of housing developments. ”
The full statement from BEST is below:
The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] has just become aware of development planned for the undeveloped space on the Fairmont Southampton [FSP] property.
FSP has permission, granted by a Special Development Order [SDO] in 2009, to build 130 residential units. Of that total, 71 are fractional units for tourists and 37 are residential villas for sale to non-Bermudians, these ranging from two-bedrooms to four-bedrooms in size and two- to three-storeys in height. The remaining 22 units are two-bedroom “town homes” for Bermudians.
While the application submitted so far is for Phase 1, a mere [3] three-bedroom villas, the public should be aware that segments of the now mostly-green hillsides and landscape surrounding FSP are eventually going to be transformed from green and open space to the concrete and tarmac of housing developments.
It is also an indication that, like Tucker’s Point, FSP is morphing from a tourist facility into a real estate agency and is selling off its property.
On behalf of the Bermuda public, our government has entrusted hotel outfits with amenity open space, much of it with protective zoning.
That open space has a value and benefit to all Bermudians, ranging from amenity space that is attractive and comforting to all residents — whether they be visitors or locals — to recreational- and even agricultural-use land.
This particular SDO was granted before the law was changed to require debate and approval in Parliament, so there was no public involvement, consultation or discussion.
That means that another area we expected would remain mostly as green and open space is now to be covered with two- and three-storey buildings, including Turtle Hill, south of the hotel, north of the clubhouse and along South Road.
We must ask the Bermuda public if it is okay with them that tourism properties are being replaced by real estate deals.
If it’s not okay, it’s time to make your voices heard via letters to Editors of the print and online newspapers, and by submitting an objection letter to the Department of Planning [see application by West End Properties # P0382/13 at Planning. Deadline is Friday 13 December].
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Articles that link to this one:
- DeSilva: ‘Balance Between Sustainable And No’ | Bernews.com | December 12, 2013
- BEST’s Stuart Hayward Responds To MP DeSilva | Bernews.com | December 23, 2013
No need to report on them anymore. We can all just assume Best has a problem with a proposed development unless told otherwise.
BEST needs to realize what’s “best” for Bermuda in these ecoonomic hardships. Yes enviroment is important, but trying to stop evey project that comes out is rediculous. People from outside of our country are trying to invest in US collectively. Projects that create jobs for Bermudians in almost all areas from the the conctruction through to the runnung of these premises. This also leads to the potential sale of these properties to non-Bermudians. This will bring money that is not generated here to the island for the betterment of all. We as Bermudians need to stop living the close minded, sheltered life and embrace new ideas like Gaming so that we may rebrand our Island or our lives as we know it may not be so great in the near future.
This guy is a fool. Every little chance to whine this guy is there. Developement is the only way we are going to get out of this recession.
the man with the beard should just shut up everytime someone wants to develop up comes best this development will bring much needed jobs in the construction field.
Best has become aware!! Take it easy, too much complaining is just like non at all.
We have to move forward and sometimes this means reasonable change has to take place.
Lets start construction ASAP. This project will bring jobs for people.
We all play a role in the world and one of BEST’s roles is to highlight large-scale development that is being planned for, perhaps unbeknownst to the greater public given our more-than-busy lives. There are those of us who would like to see special aspects of our island home preserved or at least carefully developed (ie. where we preserve as much green, open space for as long as possible). Bringing information to the public’s attention does not mean that BEST is against development but it helps us to remember that we have a very small and finite resource that we call Bermuda that can be made or ruined by how we manage it. I think we all know that while we each have a raft of ideas about how things should be done, questions remain as to how ideas are actually assessed in the greater scheme of things. One of the challenges we have is that there isn’t a clear and consistent ‘vision’ for Bermuda and so there is actually great wisdom in considering just how we do develop and move forward.
Well said, Kim Smith, and I agree.
Hmm…there’s saturation in the condo market already. I have to say I”m with BEST on thsi one. If we want to build, feel the need to build, let’s work through all the brown field sites first before we look at green space.
More of the legacy of the knuckle draggers I’m afraid….
BINGO!
Agree, and fully support BEST here.
I don’t understand why building more villas and hotels makes sense when we can’t fill the existing ones.Tourism is hurting and hotel rates are surely not decreasing. To lose beautiful landscape for the sake of creating temporary jobs is not a sane trade.
If this development keeps going what is Bermuda going to look like 100 years from now? The last 50 years has seen most likely the doubling of area covered with concrete.
SP already has approved plans ‘in the bank’ so to speak via the SDO. What next? What will it look like when everything is built? We are not Wyoming. We don’t have miles & miles of open land.
Who was the minister when this SDO went through?
Do not worry Best,even the owners of the Princess are not so stupid,as to build more unneeded fractional accommodations,unless of course they know something,such as immigration reform,that we do not know about.
Time shares at Newstead have been languishing unsold since the day they were built several years ago.
More “ignorance ” by greedy foreign owned hotels.All the money leaves Bermuda and goes north.
Question. Who would take the chance building,with the chance the PLP could win the next election?
Answer. Only a fool.
BEST is starting to become a nuisance, object to anything, What is so sensitive about a golf course. The infrastructure is all there now ( water, waste, ) at the hotel and all the tree hugger trees were cut down when it was built.
Stand firm Best. You speak for many of us.
BEST is an environmental task force, they speak about environmental issues. So why is anyone surprised when they object to a project that needed an SDO? Remember, SDOs for building condos and hotels are unethical and somewhat illegal as SDOs are supposed to ONLY be used for emergency situations. Building condos to sit empty hardly qualifies as a national emergency. So technically, this project should have never been…
I am with BEST. Do whatever you have to do. As my Hero Malcolm X would say. ” By any means necessary.
you are an a**