planning to build condominiums too close to its beach, Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness said yesterday.

The Minister said his colleagues were also concerned the hotel's six-storey conference centre will be too high.

But the reservations do not diminish Cabinet's in-principle support for the multi-million hotel upgrading.

"We have concerns,'' Mr. Edness said, "but those are matters that have to be dealt with by the Planning Department and the Development Applications Board.'' Mr. Edness made the statement yesterday in support of Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge who has been criticised in Royal Gazette editorials for publicly supporting the project ahead of any Cabinet decision on the matter.

"Jim Woolridge has got it right when he says he backs and supports that development,'' Mr. Edness said. "He is reflecting Government's position.

"Some months ago Cabinet gave in-principle approval to this project making it clear that the details would have to be left to the normal Planning processes.

These give the public the opportunity to object to any aspect of the proposal.'' In late July, Mr. Woolridge publicly supported the Elbow Beach expansion plans saying it was time to "forget about petty things and put Bermuda first...

"I want to see the country back on track and all the people employed ...

People should be damn glad the hotel's owners want to invest in the property to make it better.'' His statement came soon after the National Trust said it would object to the hotel's plans. The Trust said it was particularly concerned with the height of the six-storey conference centre and the density and closeness to the beach of planned condominium developments.

Last night, Mr. Edness said Cabinet gave the nod to the hotel's development plan for its beneficial impact on the economy.

"Obviously, we gave it approval in principle to assist the economy, to help create jobs and the need to upgrade our hotel facilities.'' The Minister said widespread concerns about the hotel's plan to build the so-called Palace Suites on Elbow Beach sand dunes and the height of its conference centre were being "worked out with the Planning Department and public input.'' He said no specific instructions on moving the Palace Suites back from the dunes was passed on to the Planning Department.

"But since the location of the Palace Suites has come to light we have, well we obviously have some concerns about that. There have been some legitimate concerns expressed by objectors and these are shared by the Cabinet.

"We don't want people building down on the beach. That's against our principals and everything we've stood for.'' The Hon. Quinton Edness.