The former Wyndham hotel is to be turned into "one of the most environmentally-advanced beach resorts in the world". Developer Scout Real Estate Capital is to build the five-star hotel using recycled copper and concrete from the original construction, and will run the 32-acre oceanfront property on solar power.

The new resort will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified, according to US Green Building Council guidelines, and will "consume less energy and water per square foot than any other resort on the Island".

CEO Alan Worden said: "We are dedicated to making this new hotel one of the most environmentally-advanced beach resorts of its kind in the world.

"We are fully committed to a programme of economic, social and environmental sustainability, and intend to maximise the potential of solar energy to minimise its requirement for buying electric power."

Preliminary plans for the $300 million Southampton resort consist of 150 rooms, several pools and restaurants, a spa and private club.

Individual beach villas will be set around three coves. Chief design architect is Bob Glazier of HKS Hill Glazier — "regarded worldwide as one of the premier design architects of luxury resort hotels,", according to Mr. Worden.

Scout will present its plan in principle to a Cabinet committee for approval in September.

"Pending Planning permission, construction will then begin in the second-half of next year, with the resort to open in 2011.

"Scout — owners, developers and managers of the property, say the facilities will be accessible to "both international tourists and local Bermudians".

"Bermuda truly is one of the world's special places, and we intend to celebrate it through our resort programmes and experiences," said Mr. Worden.

Based in New York City and Nantucket, Scout Real Estate Capital markets properties in Martha's Vineyard and Hawaii to "affluent and sophisticated leisure-focused travellers".

John Allison, chairman of 'Scout Hotels', said a name for the Bermuda resort has not yet been established but that it will be designed to "blend in" with the Island.

"The previous Wyndham resort was a horrible box on a headland and we are very keen not to repeat that but to make sure it blends in," he told The Royal Gazette.

Mr. Allison said the use of solar power was not only economical, due to the high costs of electricity on the Island, but also followed Scout's 'sustainable' philosophy.

"The company is currently building a house with a zero-carbon footprint at Esther's Island Retreat, Nantucket.

"With the Southampton resort, we will use whatever we can which is good for the environment. On the water side, we will try to preclude the need to purchase any water.

"There is a large underground tank already there which we will be keeping, and we will have our own water purification tank as well.

"We will use grey water, such as in the bathrooms and gardens, as much as we can."

Mr. Allison said once demolition takes place, concrete and copper will be recycled to serve as the fill in the new hotel's foundations.

He said: "The last part of the demolition will take place shortly. The copper is now being shipped to the US to be melted down and then used in the new resort as the architects decide. It is all about recycling and making things sustainable."