Updated legislation to support the St Regis Hotel Project was passed with unanimous support in the Senate.

The St George’s Resort Act 2018 grants additional duty relief for the hotel project, updates the development plan and clarifies public access to Fort St Catherine beach, also known as Gate’s Bay.

Crystal Caesar, Progressive Labour Party senator, said use of the beach had been a concern among residents in the East End.

But the new legislation states the public will have free access to any beach and foreshore on the hotel property — but the hotel operator may limit access at specific areas and times with the agreement of the Government and with reasonable notice to the public.

Justin Mathias, One Bermuda Alliance senator, said the opposition fully support the project, which will help reinvigorate St George’s.

The Electricity Amendment Act and the Insurance Amendment (No 2) Act were also approved with broad support in the Senate.

The Insurance Amendment establishes that those with insurance policies are given higher priority if an insurer is wound up.

And the Electricity Amendment reopened the door for those with solar panels to sell their excess electricity, putting it back into the grid.

A 2016 Amendment required that contracts to put energy into the grid could only be put in place if they were consistent with the Integrated Resource Plan.

But IRP is still going through the consultation process and Belco had taken the legal position it could not sign additional contracts until it was in place.

The new amendment clarifies allows new contracts to be entered into before the IRP comes into place and between any future IRPs.