Royal Gazette: Environmental Groups Concerned at Parkland Plans
Environmental groups have claimed that a proposed development at Southlands is “a troubling example of overdevelopment, inadequate planning and disregard for public input”.
In a joint statement, the Bermuda National Trust, the Bermuda Audubon Society and the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce said this week that the scheme to build a café and adjoining car park at the site was put forward without input from the National Parks Commission, which has oversight of any development on parkland.
The Government said this evening that the NPC was consulted and provided feedback, which was incorporated into the proposed plan.
The Department of Public Lands and Buildings submitted an application to the Department of Planning last month.
The main structure would be 5,238 sq ft and could seat more than 100 diners in a combination of indoor and outdoor arrangements.
It was proposed that the adjoining car park would have 51 car bays, 76 cycle parking spaces and nine minibus or taxi drop-off spots, a traffic impact study showed.
A spokesman for the public works and environment ministry said that the plan had been carefully considered and had undergone revisions after consultation with the three environmental charities, noting that the site had been “underutilised and largely neglected for more than a decade”.
He added: “These organisations were provided with the initial proposal and invited to participate in virtual meetings during which they shared feedback.
“Their input led to detailed follow-up correspondence and an on-site visit to clarify aspects of the proposed improvements.”
The spokesman said that the café’s footprint had been scaled back by almost 50 per cent and other “meaningful design changes” were made as a result of feedback from the organisations.
The planning application stated that on behalf of the parks department and the Government, the aim was to improve Southlands, which was designated as an amenity park in 2017 under the National Parks Act.
It noted a separate proposal for a “zip-line adventure experience”, which also involves the renovation and repurposing of one of the derelict buildings at Southlands.
The Bermuda Audubon Society has filed a formal objection to the development with the planning department.
The proposal has also been condemned by one restaurateur as excessive and not needed.
In a letter to the Department of Planning copied to The Royal Gazette, Delvin Bean, the owner of the Lost In The Triangle eatery nearby on South Shore, said: “It would essentially be the Government competing with private Bermudian businesses, as it will be built on government land, harm our businesses and potentially force us to close.”
In the joint statement, the three environmental charities said: “While investment in Bermuda’s public spaces is essential and a small car park for Southlands in this location is appropriate, this particular application represents a troubling example of overdevelopment, inadequate planning and disregard for public input.”
They added: “Moreover, this development stands in direct contradiction to feedback received during previous public consultations.
“At every opportunity, members of the public have emphasised their preference for light-touch, conservation-first approaches at Southlands, yet this application proposes substantial infrastructure.
“There is no publicly available business case or park visitation analysis justifying the need for such extensive development, nor any discussion of how these facilities will be maintained long-term.”
The groups said that the Government was required to “fulfil its legal and ethical obligation to present a comprehensive management plan for the entire park” before any new planning application is approved for Southlands.
Royal Gazette: Environmental Groups Concerned at Parkland Plans