Public Works Minister Michael Weeks has defended the Grand Atlantic housing project against critics, saying interest in the development remains high.Five units have been sold and 15 people are being screened for approval, he stated.“Those that understand real estate know that you don’t simply buy a residential unit in a day. There are applications, contracts, credit checks, conveyancing and so on that can take a while to complete.“Interest for the units remains high and there is an office located on the site for persons that want to view the units.”Plans to develop the South Shore, Warwick homes were announced by Premier Ewart Brown in 2009. He promised a combination of 125 housing units and a 100-room hotel would be built on the site of the former Golden Hind resort.The project has since come under criticism from area residents and the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce. The latter has called the project “an eyesore” and expressed concern about erosion of the property’s cliff face. Developer Gilbert Lopes insists that geological surveys show the area to be stable, and recommendations in the reports have been followed.Said Mr Weeks: “Recently, some environmentalists, who by the way are not qualified engineers, have made all sorts of claims about the cliff face on the property.“Well, let me clarify once again that qualified engineers have carried out geotechnical surveys on the site and designed mitigating structures to ensure the integrity of the cliff face.”A 485ft-long support wall was built at the base of the cliff and excavation into the bedrock was not less than 4ft in all locations, he added. The contractor also erected ten panels as high as 12ft, with concrete poured into each one.“It’s important to note that at this time similar developments have taken place with no issues to date on our South Shore the Tucker’s Point Development and Surf Side Hotel, The Reefs Hotel, and The Breakers Club which is right next door and has been there for several years.“We have done everything possible to ensure this development is safe.”Government granted Atlantic Developers a special development order for the site to build a 220-room hotel in 2007.None of the units had been sold by February, when Government announced 100 percent financing for buyers would be offered through a partnership with Butterfield Bank.A total of 51 units have been completed at the site as of the beginning of the month, and another 27 units are expected to be completed by August.Mr Weeks has stated the promised hotel “would be considered once all the units are done”.