development on Tribe Road No. 2 in Warwick.

The plan, which has been approved by the Development and Applications Board (DAB), is for an apartment house development containing 12 dwelling units in four two storey buildings, a new access and communal open space, and a transformer hut.

There have been several applications to develop the property over the last few years, including an application in 1998 when plans were submitted for a residential and community development including 18 dwelling units and social uses -- a nursery school and doctors office.

This application was later withdrawn.

The total size of the lot is 137,829 square feet (12,800 square metres), and site coverage for the latest development will be 7,369 square feet (684 square metres), or just over five percent.

In September, the DAB recommended that every attempt should be made to use agricultural land surrounding the development, which is of excellent quality, and they recommended it be rented out to farmers and to establish kitchen gardens for the residents of the development.

Government has said it is committed to providing affordable housing to those in need, and to date 119 families have been housed.

Helping to alleviate some of the Island's housing woes is the Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) which controls the former military lands at Southside, Daniels Head, Tudor Hill and Morgan's Point.

The BLDC has also received approval for the creation of 18 additional lots with rights of way on Tommy Fox Road, Pepper Hall Road, and The Sink Road.

Houses on these lots have been renovated but they were not built on individual lots.

Bermuda Housing Corporation chairman Raymonde Dill explained that while the base was under US control, buildings were erected without subdividing the land.

PLANNING PLN GOVERNMENT GVT