Plans to turn the Southlands estate into a new National Park are expected to go before Cabinet in the coming months.

A spokesman for the Department of Parks told The Royal Gazette that “several options” were being reviewed,

Yesterday, the Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce urged those tasked with deciding on Southland’s future to consider the extensive public contribution to preserving the pristine site.

Chairman, Stuart Hayward, said: “So far as the options for Southlands are concerned, there are several stakeholders outside of the Ministry and the National Parks Commission; included among those are the Friends of Southland’s and ourselves.

“Both these organisations have put immense amounts of time and effort into preserving Southlands from development and exploitation.

“We recognise that there are enormous pressures being brought to bear for development of one form or another at the site.

“This is such a significant plot of near-pristine land for which over the past eight years members of the public have fought to preserve. We would hope that the decision-makers will honour the public’s effort.

“While we await the induction of Southlands into the National Parks system, we are aware that assets on the property are being subject to overgrowth, decay and vandalism. Buildings on the property, especially the main house, which is now a listed edifice, should be safeguarded against vandals and squatters.

“Restoring the agricultural sites within the boundaries to active food production would seem to be a low contention activity that would additionally add to site security.”

Plans to convert Southlands into a park were first announced in September, 2013, starting with a clean-up of illegally dumped rubble and the clearance of weeds and overgrown vegetation.

One of the first suggestions for the rambling 37-acre estate, which runs from the South Shore of Warwick into wooded hillsides prized for their quarry gardens and diversity of plant life, came from former conservation officer David Wingate.

Noting that the estate is almost exactly the same size as the Botanical Gardens in Paget, Dr Wingate suggested relocating the facility to Southlands, which was once a private botanical garden.

A spokesman for the Department of Parks said: “The Department is reviewing several options for Southlands.

“Once the design options are drafted and forwarded to the Minister for consultation they are sent to the National Parks Commission for their review.

“After the National Parks Commission reviews the options, the management plan is then presented to the public. It is our intention to have Cabinet Office approve the Southlands Management Plan in the first half of this year.”