After 27 years of operation, the Bermuda Land Development Company will cease by January 2024, when it merges fully with the West End Development Corporation, creating a new entity.

MPs agreed last night in the House of Assembly to the dissolution of the quango, which formed in 1996 to manage hundreds of acres of military base lands given back to Bermuda.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, opened the debate with brief remarks that the boards of both quangos had “worked tirelessly” over the past eight months to plan the transition.

That includes coming up with a name for the new entity, he said, and aligning the union collective bargaining agreements of both.

Accounting has already been amalgamated in Dockyard, MPs heard.

The minister reiterated that no jobs would be lost in the process.

Announced last July in the House, the efficiencies and cost savings move was described by Colonel Burch as creating “one new entity, as these two quangos share similar objectives, mandates, skills, accounting procedures and staffing levels”.

Craig Cannonier, the Shadow Minister of Public Works, said some in the Opposition felt the symmetries between the two would bring potential savings, while others were “slightly concerned about the move in that it might jeopardise nuances between the communities”.

Mr Cannonier told the House he was “disappointed” that the BLDC, with “such a vast amount of property” in the form of Southlands in St David’s, had not achieved more.

He said the former US base land covered “at least 85 acres of land not earmarked for anything”.

Government MP Anthony Richardson reminded MPs of the new opportunities coming for the East End with a massive overhaul of its water supply and waste water treatment.

Cole Simons, the Leader of the Opposition, asked for details on the “vision for St George’s”, with the “vibrancy that we see in Dockyard” brought to the East End.

He added: “We are supportive of this initiative — we understand it makes sense economically.”

Opposition MP Susan Jackson asked of the two merged quangos: “Are they going to move forward — or will they continue with what I’m going to describe as maintenance and firefighting?”

Several opposition MPs highlighted the need for a central supermarket for the St David’s community.

Colonel Burch told the House: “Let me just start by saying this is a journey that began 20 years ago with a 2003 report on untangling Bermuda’s quangos, and it covered all the quangos in Government.”

He added: “To be brutally honest, all three of the governments that have governed the BLDC since 1996 are guilty of not advancing work at BLDC.”

Colonel Burch reminded MPs that in a community survey last year, the St David’s community identified having their own a grocery store as “the number one issue” — with private enterprise being sought to fill the need.

He said St David’s had to have its own identity similar to that of Dockyard as the island’s cruise port, but that ageing infrastructure such as the water system had held it back.

Colonel Burch said the amalgamation was to be completed by January 24, adding: “If we finish early, we will move.”

The dissolution of the BLDC was approved unanimously.