An East End beach will remain open and accessible to the public, Government pledged today.

The statement relates to Fort St Catherine Beach in St George’s where the new St Regis hotel is being built.

A spokesperson with the Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism said: “The ministry wishes to remind the public that this is a public beach and the developers are aware of this and supportive of its use by all.”

The statement comes after concerns were raised at a public meeting involving area residents and Desarrollos Hotelco Group, developer of the hotel.

Renee Ming, MP for St George’s North, said the most recent meeting took place at Penno’s Wharf on November 16.

Roughly 50 people attended the event held by the Corporation of St George’s, she said.

Ms Ming said that residents continued to be “really concerned” about what the new hotel would mean for access and use of the beach by members of the public.

She said that some concerns related to the use of the term “reasonable access” within the St George’s Resort Act 2015.

According to Clause 3 (a) of the Act, “the public shall have, free of charge, reasonable access to any beach and foreshore on the property”.

Ms Ming said of the clause: “It’s a question where we have never really received an explanation for what is reasonable access.”

She described the commitment from Government to keep the beach public as “timely”, and said that she would continue to advocate on behalf of her constituents and monitor progress on the matter.

Ms Ming added: “What they are tasking me with is to make sure that it remains public and that they can use and access their beach.”

The spokesperson said that the ministry and developers remained open to keeping “St George’s residents and their constituency Member of Parliament apprised as the development progresses”.