A hotel and low-cost housing project on the South Shore could be pushed through with a Special Development Order (SDO).

An advertisement in the Official Gazette gave notice of a Special Development Amendment Order for Grand Atlantic Resort and Residences. The amendments are to the original SDO granted two years ago for a proposed nine-storey, 220-room hotel at the former Golden Hind site in Warwick. The SDO was signed off by Environment Minister Glenn Blakeney last Monday, and appears to indicate Government will keep the SDO in place in order to push through plans for the new resort.

Government and landowners Atlantic Development are to build a 100-room hotel and 125 affordable homes in a public-private partnership.

Government will buy approximately half of the 13-acre site from Atlantic Development, with the capital helping to fund its Grand Atlantic Hotel and Spa.

Announcing the project in April, Premier and Tourism Minister Dr. Ewart Brown said the development would be submitted through the Planning process, but that Government would facilitate an SDO if deemed necessary. He said: "As all projects have done, these gentlemen (Atlantic Development) will cooperate with the existing Planning process. When and if they need special assistance they will get it, because this is a matter of national importance.

Dr. Brown however, claimed the developers would give the project a thorough environmental assessment. "The developers are very sensitive to the environment and will take the necessary steps to protect the environment," he said. "We (Government) will acknowledge and listen to and consider any objections people may have but we will not throw good projects in the ocean simply because people have a fixed agenda."

The housing development, to be named Grand Atlantic Residences, is to be modelled on Loughlands. Government will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding followed by a Purchase and Sales Agreement for the land.

The 125 two and three-bedroom condos will be built in four-phases while the hotel is constructed on a neighbouring site, with a projected completion date by 2013.

The SDO states there will be 71 three-bedroom units at 1,200 sq ft and 54 two-bedroom units at 1,000 sq ft.

The hotel will be built in phases, the first consisting of 84 suites (252 beds), a restaurant, bars, beach club, pool, spa, conference facilities and retail shops.

Twenty fractional units are also planned in addition to the six-storey hotel.