all land outside of Hamilton and military bases, will be officially published today.

And Environment Minister the Hon. Ann Cartwright DeCouto yesterday announced she will table the Plan, which has been in the works for four years, in the House of Assembly this morning.

The 1992 Plan, which includes a planning statement that defines what is allowed in the new zonings and a booklet of zoning maps, replaces the 1983 Development Plan that has governed development in Bermuda for nearly a decade.

Its philosophy of "sustainable development'' emphasises conservation before development and stems from a detailed survey showing the Island to be well overdeveloped.

Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto said work on the new Plan showed that Bermuda has over-committed land and resources for development purposes well beyond the level required to meet the community's needs.

Key survey discoveries used to anchor the adoption of the Plan were the existence of empty homes and more than 2,000 subdivided, but undeveloped, lots.

"As an island community with a limited and finite land area, we cannot afford to waste land,'' Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto warned. "As a community which relies heavily on the quality and character of our surroundings, we cannot afford to ignore the environmental impacts of our actions.'' She added that the Planning Department's consultation exercises showed there is heightened concern for the state of Bermuda's environment and strong public support for a more restrained and sensitive approach to the future development of the island.

The backbone of the 1992 Plan is a network of linked and protected open spaces covering about 40 percent of Bermuda's land area.

These continuous green belts, linked by the Railway Trail and Tribe Roads, encompass the national parks, other areas protected by private trusts, natural habitats, recreation areas, playing fields, important woodlands and the larger farm units.

Highlighting some of the Plan's features, Mrs. Cartwright DeCouto said the new planning regulations promote a sensitive approach to development where proper account is taken of the physical characteristics of the application site.

For example, "site analysis reports'', or for large development projects, "environmental impact statements'' must be submitted in certain cases to enable the Development Applications Board to understand and assess the environmental and planning issues.

A new section devoted to design and landscaping matters has also been included.

And high, medium, and low density and Garden District zones for housing development has been replaced by Residential 1 and Residential 2 zones.

For Residential 1, the most intensive of the two, the maximum density of development is six houses per acre, with a minimum lot size of 6,000 square feet and a maximum site coverage of 35 percent.

For Residential 2, the maximum density is two houses per acre, the minimum lot size is 18,000 square feet and the maximum site coverage is 20 percent.

Property owners who object to their new zoning will be granted a minimum two-month period to register objections for hearing before a tribunal.

While the Plan puts greater emphasis on environmental and conservation initiatives, it should not be regarded as "anti-development'', Mrs.

Cartwright DeCouto said.

"We certainly need to adopt a prudent approach to managing our environment and our resources if the best of Bermuda is to be preserved for future generations,'' she said. "Nonetheless, the community has legitimate development needs and these too have been taken into account by the new Plan.'' The Plan Information Sheet, zoning maps for the parish, the Planning statement, Bermuda 2000 report explaining the new Plan, and copies of objection forms are on display at parish post offices.

The Information Sheet is circulated free of charge, while the Planning statement, Bermuda 2000 report, and zoning maps can be purchased at the reception desk on the ground floor of the Government Administration Building.