Objections have been lodged against a planned multi-million- dollar time-share scheme which protestors claim will lead to a further erosion of Bermuda's open spaces.

The St. George's Club wants to invest $80 million in its time-share property as well as building 100 new units on eight undeveloped acres.

If planning permission is granted, work at the Cemetery Hill site is expected to start in January and continue in phases over the next ten to 12 years.

However, the National Trust has lodged an objection to the plan, as well as two neighbours, and two prominent Bermudians are also calling for the scheme to be revised.

Former Transport Minister Mr. Sidney Stallard said: "We should not take more open spaces and develop them, we are running out of open space.

"We have an empty hotel nearby in Club Med, let them get on and develop that property. Why should we take more of these open spaces and wonderful woodlands and destroy them with concrete.'' Mr. Stallard, a trustee of the St. George's Golf Club which is close to the proposed development, admits he does not live in the area affected, but says he has seen a gradual loss of open spaces in Bermuda during his 46 years on the Island.

"I can see a big difference in the wildlife over the years and I can see a big difference along the waterfront. If we were a huge country it would be different.

"Bermuda is a small place and we are destroying it day after day. We only have a small surface to play with and we will soon not have any wildlife left,'' he added.

Any objections to the plan had to be received by the Planning Department last Friday and three were lodged -- two by neighbours and one by the National Trust which will outline why it is against the idea later.

Although he has not formally objected, St. George's Golf Club pro and former UBP candidate, Mr. Kim Swan, is also against the scheme. He stressed his views were independently held and were not necessarily those of the club.

"There is not much space in St. George's and within 900 yards of Cemetery Hill is a big hotel property sitting there idle. If some thought was given I can see no reason why that property, Club Med, cannot be used.'' He added: "I am concerned about the loss of the open space, but I'm also concerned about the loss of open space in Bermuda generally. All the focus in Bermuda is on development and growth.

"I am not against the St. George's Club wanting to expand their business, but there is a better location in Club Med, particularly as it has been empty for seven years.'' Government is currently in dispute with Club Med claiming the hotel is in violation of its lease and is going through the legal system to reclaim the publicly-owned property on which the building sits.

The St. George's Club holds both a time-share and hotel licence and the owners want to carry out a refurbishment of existing properties as well as develop the new buildings.

Club President, Mr. Alistair Woolf led a consortium which recently bought the property from Canadian developer York Hannover which went bust in 1992. Mr.

Woolf has not been available for comment on the objections to the building plan.