Minister Arthur Hodgson that the new Berkeley Institute is to be built on Woodland Preserve.

Last week Mr. Hodgson, who until October was the Environment Minister, told The Royal Gazette "it saddened me'' to have to sign the order for the school's development which would "destroy so much woodland''.

Mr. Hodgson added: "And, at the same time, destroying a listed building. It saddened me to have to do it -- but I signed it.'' An Information Services press release declared that Mr. Scott felt the article "misrepresented'' the environmental impact of the school.

The release continued: "Minister Scott said that the article gave the incorrect impression that the entire site was a Woodland Preserve when it was not.

"In fact, only a small segment is deemed to be Woodland Preserve. The new Senior School Campus will see a very attractive, robust, landscape plan reappearing on the site once this project is completed,'' it added.

The new school, it is claimed, "saved'' the Berkeley Road site from commercial development from the previous owners until Government "stepped in''.

Mr. Scott explained that the former owners had permission to build apartments/condominiums on the Northlands School Field but Government, with the purchase, intends to preserve the field.

Lastly, Government will replace each endemic tree with four new ones and 90 percent of mature trees taken from the site are being preserved for later re-introduction into the landscaping plan. Mr. Scott also recommitted the Works and Engineering Ministry to carrying out Governments developments, adding that Government is "very sensitive to balancing the environmental impact'' of those projects.

EDUCATION ED