Environmental campaigners have raised concerns over a planned motocross event to be held at a national park and birdwatching sanctuary.

The Audubon Society claimed that planning regulations for the one-off event — scheduled to take place in January — may have been breached after bulldozers moved in to construct a track for the high-speed bikes on Coney Island last month.

According to planning documents, a submission to build a temporary track was made to the Department of Planning by an unidentified entity on September 4, but was withdrawn two days later.

The application stated that it was for a “temporary public assembly/exhibition” for a “motocross track to follow the walking path around Coney Island”.

It added: “Vendors allocated to the right entrance of the island. Spectator area to the right entrance along the side of the track, lined with fencing. St John Ambulance placed in the middle of the island [roadway never blocked].”

A Ministry of Public Works spokesman has since confirmed that building work began at the site without approval.

He said: “Excavation work had commenced at the site. However, it is important to clarify that a private company was carrying out the excavation project in question, not the Government of Bermuda.

“It is understood that due to a miscommunication, the contractor was initially given permission to begin excavation work. However, it later emerged that planning approval was required for the project.

“Once this was identified, the contractor was immediately asked to cease operations.

“They complied and have since been instructed to approach the Department of Planning to ensure the necessary permissions are obtained before any further work is carried out.”

However, the Audubon Society spoke out against the development, claiming that regulations were bypassed by both the Government and the organisation behind the event.

It also claimed that consultation with a watchdog quango set up to review parkland development was also sidestepped.

A spokeswoman for the society said: “It has been brought to our attention that permission had been given by the minister responsible for parks for a single motocross event at Coney Island National Park to take place in January.

“Excavation equipment was brought to the site to begin preparations, but was stopped as they did not have the required permission from the Department of Planning for this work.

“We are concerned about these developments for a number of reasons.

“First, it is not clear that the proper procedures were followed to allow for this permission to be given.

“The Bermuda National Parks Act requires that a management plan be developed for each of the national parks which ‘shall serve as a guide for all activities related to the management and administration of the protected area so that the purposes for which the area was established are met and maintained’.

“We do not believe that there is an approved management plan for Coney Island Park to guide these decisions.

“The Act does allow the minister to grant a written permit authorising an activity that would otherwise be prohibited in a protected area, but only ‘where such activity is in the overriding public interest’ and ‘after consultation with the [Parks] Commission’.

“It is hard to justify the damage to the parkland that would be required for a single motocross event as in the overriding public interest.

“Second, we are concerned about the damage that the construction of a motocross track will cause to the scenic beauty and habitat of the Coney Island National Park.

“Coney Island provides prime bird habitat and is one of Bermuda’s birding hotspots where birdwatchers regularly go to observe birds.”

The spokeswoman said that 147 species of birds had been reported on the island and that they relied on the mix of trees, shrubs, grasslands, ponds and rocky coastal habitat for their survival.

She added: “The park is also a favourite spot for residents and visitors to walk on the Railway Trail and enjoy the scenery.

“Although the use would be temporary, restoration to the prior natural state will take some time.

“Questions also arise as to who will pay for this and who would be responsible to ensure that the restoration occurs.

“Although Coney Island has a rich history of motocross racing, it is no longer an appropriate location for this activity. There is a purpose-built facility for this sport which is regularly used.

“Coney Island should be left as it is, for the quiet enjoyment of general public and for the flora and fauna that thrive there.“

The National Parks Commission, an independent advisory body set up to protect Bermuda’s national parks, was disbanded by public works minister Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch last year.

At the time, Colonel Burch said that the commission was acting outside its remit.

The commission was re-established in April, and is now headed by Zane DeSilva, a government MP and owner of Island Construction, one of Bermuda’s largest construction companies.

The Royal Gazette sent further questions to the Ministry of Public Works last week after receiving the Audubon Society’s statement. No response was received by press time.