A $20 million project to build 84 condominiums at the former Edness Quarry in Warwick has been approved in principle.

Developer Southpro Limited hopes to break ground within the year if final approval is given.

The plans for the two and three bedroom apartments at the site off Dunscombe Road will now be submitted for the final application process, said Delores Beraldo-Vazquez of Bermuda Caribbean Engineering Consultants, the consultants for the project.

“We are pleased that we finally got approval and our next step will be to obtain final development approval,” Mrs. Beraldo-Vazquez said.

The in principle plans, designed by Berg Design, are a basic outline of the project. Mrs. Beraldo-Vazquez explained that once the final plans are drawn up the buildings will have different features in accordance with the conditions set out by planning.

Mr. Berg said the scheme was “a great big project” that he estimated could cost more than $20 million. He was unable to say how much the condominiums would sell for once completed. “The permission is in principle so we will have a much better idea in six months of how much they will sell for.

“But we like to describe it as more affordable housing,” Mr. Berg said.

Plans are to stay within 1.3 acres of the 7.4 acres designated for the site if the final application is approved but the team of builders has been decided, Mr. Berg said.

“We've got our team of builders and we will double the size of the workforce so that we can get 20 apartments out a year,” he said.

Mr. Berg's son, John Berg Jr. of Berg Design, is the architect for the project while Carreiro Enterprises has been selected as the general contractor.

Mr. Berg added that landscape architect David Cox of Linberg and Simmons Ltd., has already begun the periphery plans and specific plants have been selected and are being grown for the property.

The housing is being built to provide affordable housing specifically for Bermudians as none of the units will be sold to non-Bermudians.

A majority - 53,540 of the 59,960 of Southpro's shares are also held by Southampton Holdings Ltd.

Mr. Berg owns one share of those 5,000 shares. Charles Kempe, who was revealed as another shareholder last year said he has no personal interest in the project.