There have been just over 30 objections to the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008, according to the Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST).

Public consultation for the new Plan began on June 6 but three months later, with less than a month to go before the October 3 deadline, the public seem reticent to air any concerns or views on the future development of the Island.

According to BEST, during the last overhaul of the Bermuda Plan in 1992, there were almost 1,200 objections. Chairman Stuart Hayward yesterday questioned whether Government's advertising ban in this newspaper had affected public awareness of the consultation process.

"Given no matter what the Government's attitude is, a majority of people in this community get their information from The Royal Gazette, and at the moment Government information may not be reaching those members of the public, so I think that is one aspect to the lack of objections – that the public isn't getting that information on their radar screens," said Mr. Hayward.

He urged residents to put their views forward on the re-zoning and new regulations of the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008.

"BEST has been working on this all summer and wants to encourage members of the public to examine both their own private property and also public lands and their area, to make sure the Bermuda they would like to leave for their children is not compromised by changes in the new development Plan," said Mr. Hayward.

"BEST has drafted several objections and is in the process of reviewing them. But the first thing we'd like to see happen is an extension of the deadline because the summer months are such a strain on everyone. This policy came in in June when people were heading off on vacations, so the summer is not a good time for people to give time to serious and complicated matters such as reviewing the development Plan.

"We appreciate the Government holding a couple of public exhibitions, but the Plan is so complex that we would have liked to have an exposition rather than an exhibition, to explain to the public the differences between the old and new Plan, and what people should be looking out for regarding their property."

Government has doubled the amount of time for public consultation from two to four months, but Mr. Hayward said one BEST researcher was told by the Planning Department last week that only 18 objections to the Plan have so far been received. Since then the number has grown to 34.

"What we noticed in the 1992 process was that there were between 600 and 700 objections sent in at this stage, with a couple of weeks to go. In 1992, there were close to 1,200 objections, two-thirds of which were submitted before the last couple of months," said Mr. Hayward.

He said that among BEST's concerns are a lack of Conservation zoning for public parklands and Southlands still being classed under Tourism.

"Parklands no longer have a Conservation area zoning so it means they could be open for development, and that is highly significant," said Mr. Hayward.

"It comes to our attention particularly after fighting so hard and successfully to prevent hotel development on the Southlands property. But now that land has reverted to Government, unless there is some clear protection for the area, Government could choose to develop on it – that is the reality.

"One of our objections is Southlands itself is to a large proportion still zoned as Tourism, so we feel that needs to be looked at and removed."

All planning applications received from June 6 onwards have been subject to the Planning Statement and Zoning Maps of the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008.

Following the public consultation period, any objections will be placed before a public inquiry chaired by a tribunal. Environment Minister El James will then review the tribunal's report and present his comments and the final Plan before Parliament.

The Bermuda Plan 2008 will then guide all development until 2015. It is the first overhaul of land use and planning regulations on the Island in 16 years.

Dorcas Roberts, director of preservation for the Bermuda National Trust, said yesterday: "We are still in the process of reviewing the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 and will deliver our input by October 3, with respect to our own properties and any changes we would like to see there.

"We will also submit support for any new policies we would like to see continued into the Plan itself."

Mrs. Roberts could not go into further details as the National Trust's review is still to go to committee.

But she said: "The Bermuda National Trust feels strongly that all residents take an active part in reviewing this new Plan. Personal involvement in the planning process requires a willingness to contribute an opinion, either as an individual or in a group, but it is vital that we all do so, as who else is more able to have a viewpoint on development matters than those people who live in the community?"

The Royal Gazette yesterday asked Government for information on how many objections have so far been received to the Draft Bermuda Plan, and of what nature they are, but did not receive a response by Press time.

The Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 can be inspected at the Department of Planning at the Government Administration building, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton, or at: www.planning.gov.bm, parish post offices and the Bermuda National Library.