order to meet local needs.

White & Sons believe the increasing number of residents in Warwick parish will need more shops in the future.

The company has asked the Objections Tribunal into the Bermuda Plan to change the zoning of their land to commercial.

The tribunal is nearing the end of a lengthy series of hearings looking into 400 objections to the Plan, drawn up in 1992. They have dealt with 90 percent of the objections and decisions are due next month.

Lawyer Mr. Kim White, representing the supermarket, reported the history of the store on land off Middle Road.

He said they had had a presence in the area since 1923, with the present site being developed later and then extensions having being made in 1960 and 1984.

Mr. White pointed out other developments where small groups of shops had sprouted up in different parts of the Island.

"The reason we have commercial zoning is to meet the existing needs of the community,'' he said.

"Warwick is the most densely populated parish other than Pembroke, with 7,900 people living there.

"My client could not extend any further without a relaxation of the zoning.'' He said it predated the Riddell's Bay commercial area and could not be confused with it.

Assistant Director of Planning Mr. Brian Rowlinson said commercial development had been allowed to grow in certain areas haphazardly.

"Outside of Hamilton there are 1,580 businesses scattered from one side of the Island to the other,'' he said. "Only 25 percent of these are in commercial areas. That means something like 1,100 shops and commercial businesses are scattered throughout the parishes.

"We would like to control any development like this because of the impact they have on these areas.'' Mr. Rowlinson pointed out that White's was surrounded by residential and some "picturesque'' open areas. He said any expansion would mean White's losing valuable car parking space.

Tribunal chairman Mr. Jack Lightbourn pointed out that in the new motorised society local shopping centres were useful, and future expansion should be considered.

Mr. White said there could be some expansion at the rear of the building which would not affect the local environment.

He said: "My client is an entrepreneur. He is in the business of serving local needs. If the needs are there in the future he wants to meet them.''