The $8 million tourism resort planned at Daniel's Head will have 125 canvas covered cottages -- some located on the water -- and will be targeted at attracting environmentally conscious visitors.

"The eco-tourist prefers a simple dwelling where he can feel close to nature, listen to the wind and water and enjoy indigenous plants and wildlife, privacy, independence and being self sufficient,'' documents submitted this week to the Planning Department state. The project is named Destination Villages.

Such a tourist also wants "exposure to local culture, history and maximum contact with local people'', healthy food, and lots of exercise, the documents state.

The development is being proposed by Campers Villages LLC headed by Stanley Selengut. The company operates four similar developments in the US Virgin Islands. The plans for Daniel's Head were submitted for approval in principle by local firm Cooper & Gardner Architects.

If approval is granted the company hopes to begin developing the resort this summer and open for business next year.

According to the documents Destination Villages aims "To provide an ecological sensitive and profitable tourist resort that is planned, built and operated to respect the natural environment. To work within the constraints this provides and to enhance appreciation for its philosophy and sensitivity in a responsible business environment.'' The main pull of the resort will be its 125 tourist cottages, described in the documents as "tents'' with a ground floor and a loft. In fact the dwellings would have rigid wood frames with a canvas-type roof. Each dwelling -- the design of which has been adapted for Bermuda -- would have a canvas covered buttery roof, a wind generator, a self-contained composting toilet, and a solar water heater.

Most of the tents would be on the southern part of the property. Another 33 would be located in two areas on the water, attached along two docks and will be six feet above the mean high water mark.

The development will have access from the east. Near the entrance will be the reception, a community and craft centre, and a recycling centre. The resort will have a village green, a tennis court, and a sports area, according to the plans.

Mr. Selengut was travelling and was not available for comment, architect John Gardner said yesterday.

Mr. Selengut was described by People & the Planet magazine as a "65-year old New York developer and civil engineer who 21 years ago decided to slow down and build a few tourist cottages in the US Virgin Islands''. The publication is a UK-based magazine appearing quarterly and featured Mr. Selengut last year.

Mr. Selengut, "acknowledged as one of the fathers of ecotourism'' grew from that early beginning to own and operate four such sites on the island of St.

John.

He is also described as a "partner with the US National Parks Services in developing models and designs for future eco-tourist resorts''. Mr. Selengut moved on to develop Harmony, "a cluster of studio apartments built from recycled materials''.

He then developed the more luxurious Maho Bay resort, where cottages go for $105 double occupancy a day during the high season. His latest development is Concordia which is described as self contained in its use of energy and waste.

"Guests monitor the composting lavatories to make sure they are topped up with vegetable waste or with sufficient water,'' according to People & the Planet.

RESORT FEATURES 125 cottages Craft centre; Recycling centre; Village green; Tennis court; Sports area.

Proposed Development at Daniels Head. Perspective -- Ecotents on the North Field Perimeter from the South-West.