One of the Island's most prestigious plots of land is being redeveloped into a vacation home for a US billionaire ¿ but with the landscape taking priority.

Castle Point, on Tuckers Town Road, is to be turned into a holiday home for Aubrey McClendon, chief executive officer and chairman of Chesapeake Energy ¿ the third largest independent producer of US natural gas.

Mr. McClendon bought the property last year from Austrian financier Wolfgang Flottl for $20 million.

Its proposed development follows years of neglect in which buildings have been ravaged by hurricane damage and littering by trespassers, and the grounds overgrown by invasive plants.

The project involves a groundbreaking concept. Rather than focusing on the residential property first, architects OBM International are to concentrate on the landscape and environment.

The innovative approach involves a Woodland Management Plan, devised by Chartered Landscape Architect David Cox, to "create a natural setting with ecological integrity".

Invasive species such as Buddleia, Indian Laurel and Casuarina are to be removed, with the eight-acre property replanted with 1,810 native trees and 2,845 shrubs.

OBM International has applied to the Department of Planning for an In Principle Application for a new master plan and redevelopment of existing dwellings and structures. But OBM eexecutive officer and architect Colin Campbell said the team will not start to design the rebuild until the landscaping is complete.

Mr. Campbell said: "We do not have a specific development proposal yet per se. We are proposing to improve the existing structures within the existing footprint.

"The property has quite strict environmental overlays so we can't build anything new ¿ we can only work within the boundaries of the existing structure."

Situated on "Billionaires' Row", Castle Point overlooks both Castle Harbour and Howard Bay. Its neighbours include GoldenEye ¿ sold last year for a reported $17.5 million.

Mr. McClendon is the owner of Pro-basketball side Seattle SuperSonics and is listed as the world's 664th richest person in the Forbes list, with a wealth of $1.5 billion. The billionaire resides in Oklahoma City but has always wanted to live in Bermuda.

Mr. Campbell said: "Mr. McClendon has always had a very fond feeling for Bermuda and when the property became available he was most interested in it.

"During the 1990s Mr. Flottl had plans to do various things to the property, and due to a change in fortunes, some things didn't get carried out and it wasn't invested in to a great degree."

He said the aim of the Woodland Management Plan was to develop natural habitats and ecosystems.'Castle Point is home to 100 nesting pairs of Longtails and OBM International is working closely with Conservation Services.

Mr. Campbell said: "They have said this would be a very good baseline for any future large-scale development in addressing environmental conservation requirements.

"We usually feel the effect of loss of the environment when new projects are proposed so if we can put the environment first, then the impact of change is softened.

"It's the first time we've worked on a property of this scale and put the environment first. The client feels very strongly that this is the right thing to do.

"It's a different innovative approach which is very much in keeping with the times. Many Bermudians are conscious of the natural environment and we are advancing that so that it is looked at very seriously, and initially. Islands such as Bermuda represent a very precious and unique environment."

Mr. Cox said: "'Castle Point' is a stunning piece of land but has been abandoned now for 20 to 30 years, so the electricity doesn't work, the windows are broken and there's other damage through hurricanes and wind storm.

"The grounds are also overgrown with invasive species. About six months ago we prepared a Woodland Management Plan to remove these invasive species, particularly along the coastline, where the loose roots of casurinas can cause widespread erosion.

"We are really starting with the significant environmental aspect of the project which is something most developers would do last. This is probably the largest environmental improvement scheme to be undertaken on a private property in Bermuda."

The native trees to be planted include: 360 Bermuda Olivewood; 345 Bay Grape; 400 Green Buttonwood; 340 Bermuda Cedar; and 365 Bermuda Palmetto. Shrubs include: 880 Sea Ox-eye; 545 Bay Bean; 580 Bermuda Snowberry; and 840 Sea Lavender.

Only after the landscape replanting is finished will the architects start working on plans for the main house and surrounding buildings. The woodland project is expected to take 18 months with complete redevelopment to take a couple of years.