A conservation group has expressed hope that a recent government procurement notice would mean new life for empty buildings at the Southlands national park.

However, the Bermuda National Trust echoed concerns voiced by the Bermuda Audubon Society about plans for an event lawn and parking area on the southeast corner of the property.

Karen Border, BNT executive director, said: “BNT is pleased that there is finally a focus on renovating most of the buildings at Southlands, in particular the Grade 2 listed main cottage, which was allowed to deteriorate to a very bad state.

“We hope that any approved redevelopment of buildings will indeed be complementary to the park, as stated in the request for proposals.

“Southlands is a wonderful community amenity and as a very large site it offers the potential for the public to enjoy it many ways while still protecting its natural and undeveloped appeal.”

The charity also said the proposed siting of a café and parking area to the west of the beach entrance was appropriately placed on brownfield land.

“However, we continue to be concerned about the potential for an events lawn and parking area being built on woodland immediately west of the Bermudiana Beach Resort,” Ms Border added.

“A previous planning application for that development was rejected, but another application has since been submitted.”

That application, submitted in August, was listed yesterday as “on hold” with no documents attached.

Kim Smith, the executive director of the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce, said the charity would be happy to see the existing amenities at Southlands upgraded and put to good use, adding that it was a shame the buildings had been allowed to deteriorate.

“We are hopeful that there will be some interesting and appropriate proposals for the use of the upgraded buildings,” she said.

However, Ms Smith said the charity would not support any development on the property south of the road.

“We believe that any permanent coastal development should be reined in and not expanded, given the increased threats now from climate change,” she said.

“There is still, I believe, some improvement needed to the final foot access down to the beach, but that could be done in a simple, creative and sensible fashion.”

The comments came after the Government put out a notice seeking expressions of interest for buildings on the property, along with a proposed café on the southern side of the property.

The notice said the Government was specifically looking for proposals to renovate or redevelop the seven cottages located on the park “for purposes that will be complementary to the National Park system”.

The notice added that the Government intends to add “public car-parking spaces, picnic site, woodland walking tracks, events lawn and an historic WWII gun battery platform” to the area south of the road.

A map of the site included in the notice showed the proposed public car park on the western edge of the property with a public parking and events lawn on the far east, adjacent to the Bermudiana Beach Resort.

A planning application was previously submitted to create an events lawn and parking spaces on the land, with the project branded integral for the success of the nearby resort.

However, that application sparked a series of objections from environmental groups and was rejected by the Development Applications Board.

The Bermuda Audubon Society said last week that it was happy to see the property get the attention it needed, but emphasised the need to protect natural and undeveloped areas of the site, highlighting the proposed events lawn.