According to former Director of Planning Erwin Adderley, a Development Plan starts with different zones for various activities, setting out rules, regulations and standards for development.

In the normal course of the planning process, an application is reviewed by the Development Applications Board and the public is given the opportunity to make comments and objections.

?Most of the time the neighbours or special interest groups will have some concerns. They have some chance to have their input on development and the board will then make their decision,? said Mr. Adderley, a former UBP Minister who now runs planning consultancy Erwin P. Adderley Associates.

The SDO is actually put into play by the Minister of the Environment, not Housing.

?In some instances in the past the Minister has bypassed the process where they feel the proposal is unusual but has still provided the public with the opportunity for comment and the board has taken that under advisement,? he said.

However, Mr. Adderley said of the controversial Loughlands development in Paget: ?The Minister of the Environment bypassed the Development Applications Board entirely and bypassed the objection process entirely.?

It remains unclear how Sen. Burch foresees using an SDO in relation to Southside, and he had not responded to further questions about his plans by press time.