working on Bermuda's newest multi-million dollar resort, The Royal Gazette can reveal.

The trust plans to object to plans by Bermuda Properties Limited to build 60 new housing units on Quarry Hill, next to the old Castle Harbour Hotel site.

It claims the land is an untouched hillside of endemic forest, which provides habitat to a diverse selection of flora and fauna unique to Bermuda.

And chairwoman of the trust's environmental committee Edith Martin said many of the trees on Quarry Hill were covered by Tree Protection Orders.

She said the property had been categorised with some of the most protective zonings, including nature reserve, woodland reserve, and open space.

Yet, she claimed, the planning application had been submitted without showing the zones, or the nearby caves and tree orders.

The Royal Gazette reported in December how the old hotel site was going to be redeveloped to the tune of $250 million to create a luxury resort and hotel, named Tucker's Point Club.

It is expected that the resort will be open for business in 2003, and will include some top scale residential homes and apartments, some on Quarry Hill.

But Mrs Martin said the trust wanted to make the public aware of the implications of phase two of the development, which the trust claims could see the land on Quarry Hill adversely transformed.

She said: "Given the environmental sensitivity of Quarry Hill, this is outrageous.

"The trust will be objecting and asking for a comprehensive application from Bermuda Properties Limited (BPL).

"Without all the information, the Development Applications Board (DAB) cannot possibly make an informed decision, even at the in-principle stage.

"For a development like this one, the DAB and public of Bermuda need all of the information up front.'' Mrs Martin said although the planning application was only for outline permission, the trust feared the development would be a "done deal'' and that the trust would be unable to stop it at future stages.

She said the trust understood BPL had prepared an environmental impact statement, but said she believed it had not been submitted to planning until almost a week after the application had been advertised.

And she said the trust had not been given the opportunity to review the statement yet, and will be seeking an extension of the 14-day objection period allowed by planners in order to do so.

"The deadline for filing objections to the Quarry Hill application is presently Friday, February 16,'' added the committee chairwoman.

"The trust encourages anyone who cares about Bermuda's environment to write to the Department of Planning to express their concern about this development.'' The trust is also concerned that BPL may be hoping to circumvent the normal planning process by obtaining a Special Development Order from Environment Minister Terry Lister.

She said six years ago, BPL got such an order to develop Ship's Hill, also on the grounds of Castle Harbour, which the trust also opposed.

Last night, Peter Parker, of BPL, said there was no such thing as a "done deal'' in planning, and said at no time had the developers ever asked a minister for a Special Development Order.

He said, as far as he knew, developers could not apply for a Special Development Order.

As for Quarry Hill, he said BPL was well aware of what was on the site by way of caves and protection orders, and said the company was having surveys carried out, so everything could be taken into consideration before an application is made for full planning permission.

He said: "There are no tree preservation orders on Quarry Hill. I think they (the trust) are getting it confused with Paynters Hill. We have no plans for Paynters Hill.

"There are caves throughout the property. We are aware of it. We have only applied for permission in principle. We are waiting to have an environmental impact study done before we apply for further permission. We went through this all before with Ship's Hill -- the trust objected then.'' CLUB CLB