PLANNING violators could soon see stricter enforcement of regulations.

Government announced yesterday that it was reviewing legislation in response to recent calls for a crackdown on law breakers.

"The public can be assured that the Department is very concerned about planning and building violations and is prepared to take the necessary action," said Planning Director Rudolph Hollis. "We anticipate that after the review, we will be able to take more tangible action."

The calls for stricter enforcement were most recently made a week ago by environmentalists and area residents of Gilbert's Bay in Somerset, outraged by bulldozing which desecrated 1,000-year-old rock formations and ruined several longtail nests.

The residents claimed the area had been trashed by their neighbour, Henry Talbot, with blatant disregard to planning regulations. Mr. Talbot, who owns the majority of the beach at Gilbert's Bay above the mean high tide mark, had received final Planning Department permission to build a jetty and new boat house in 1999.

Although unknown whether the construction constituted a planning violation, conservationists and residents were outraged at the extensive environmental damage his actions allegedly caused.

"In the case mentioned," Mr. Hollis said yesterday, "the enforcement officer was on site the day the complaint was brought to the attention of the Department, collecting evidence which will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution's (DPP) office. We have put the offender on notice that all work that does not have planning approval must stop.

"The Department of Planning, in conjunction with the Ministry of the Environment, has taken positive steps to maintain a delicate balance in protecting our natural habitats and the many eco-systems, while taking into account the booming construction industry.

"However, in dealing with 'environmental terrorists', punitive laws alone are not a resolution. To this end, technical officers from the Department have held meetings with key stakeholders such as insurance companies and lending institutions to help us find ways to deter planning violations."

The director added that tighter enforcement was to be a key component of the review, and admitted that part of the problem lay in the way the law was drafted.

"The Department recognises that the current enforcement regulations are tedious and time- consuming," he said.

"We are working on establishing a more direct method of dealing with persons who violate the planning laws. New guidelines will come out of the review."

"Notwithstanding the review, the Department of Planning continues to address planning violations."