An environmental group has praised the West End Development Corporation for announcing it would consult the public on the future of the South Basin.

In a statement, the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce stated: “This move on Wedco’s part of going to the public is the correct one.

“The costs of this new land are borne by everyone. Those costs include the loss of marine productivity and all that entails, plus the costs of the landfilling. The brand new nine acres of land — waterfront land, prime real estate we are told — is an asset that belongs to all Bermuda.

“The benefit of any economic windfall should accrue to everyone. Likewise, decisions about the uses of the land should not be left to Wedco alone. No matter that Wedco has had the sole say on the existing Dockyard property. This is new land and needs a new arrangement, especially in anticipation of plans for further landfilling.”

The charity said that while Wedco originally proposed almost entirely industrial/commercial uses for the land, Dockyard was already densely industrial and commercial.

“What is needed is not more industrial activity, nor a spread of existing industrial activity to areas previously free of or shielded from industrial activity, like those areas adjacent to the Cross Island landfill site,” the statement said.

“New land should have an abundance of uses now in short supply: open space, parkland, recreational land, cultural, educational and agricultural uses. In our view, industrial uses should be off the list because this new land is right next to one of the least polluted and most productive marine areas in our entire Island.

“Moving industrial activities that are currently ‘dirty’ from Dockyard’s North Basin to the relatively clean Cross Island area under the pretext that the step is an environmental plus is not acceptable.”

BEST also noted that an environmentally sensitive marine zone is adjacent to the South Basin, arguing that the new land should not be used in ways that would create more pollution or environmental threats.

“Any application for development will need to be subjected to an Environmental Impact Assessment and, because of the sensitivity of the marine areas in the quadrant to the west, south and east of the landfill, the optimum uses will need to be environmentally friendly,” they added.

“Open space and parkland top the list of suitable uses. Educational, cultural and vertical-agriculture uses would come next. Terrestrial or marine-industrial uses should not be considered, not even at the bottom of the list.

“Our recommendation would be for the new land to be immediately designated as a special study area in line with the Bermuda Development Plan.”