Giving the Fairmont Southampton special planning permission to build nearly 100 villas on its golf course will set a ?dangerous precedent? in the fight to preserve Bermuda?s green space, a conservation chief warned last week.

The message came from the National Trust, as it raised fresh concerns about what it said appears to be a growing number of Special Development Orders (SDO) that pave the way for open land to be bulldozed.

Trust director Steve Conway said projects that go ahead under SDOs do not pass through the normal planning process. And he claimed they ?avoid public input and present the proposal as a fait accompli?.

He suggested they should only be used as a ?last resort? ? and revealed that the conservation group had now asked the Ministry of Environment to clarify the criteria for SDOs being granted.

Given Bermuda?s limited land resources, Mr. Conway stated, it relies on areas like the Fairmont?s golf course to provide ?valuable natural breaks? and to add to the Island?s biodiversity.

Recent examples of multi-million dollar developments involving SDOs include a revamp at Belmont Hills, the Newstead development on Harbour Road and the former Loughlands hotel project.

Under normal planning rules, such proposals would have to be rejected by the Development Applications Board as the land is zoned for other purposes in the Bermuda Development Plan. But an SDO paves the way for permission to be granted by rezoning the land.

Mr. Conway spoke out after it emerged that plans to build ?golf villas? on nearly half the course at the Fairmont Southampton were under review, after hundreds of residents signed protest petitions.

A well-placed source has claimed the 110,000 square feet of land on the acclaimed par-three course had been handed a reprieve. However, hotel chiefs told that the controversial proposal for 91 ?golf villas? had not been scrapped.

The Fairmont has already asked the Ministry of Environment for a SDO for the golf course blueprint.

The development features 145 new holiday homes. Many of the 91 villas will be built on eight of the course?s 18 holes, according to the hotel?s original plans, with a further 54 exclusive holiday homes built on Turtle Hill, near the hotel.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts said the changes would ?re-energise the tourism sector in Bermuda?.

But Mr. Conway said: ?The Trust is concerned that there are several developments proposed or are proceeding under SDO?s.

?Unfortunately these do not go through the normal planning process and avoid public input and present the proposal as a fait accompli. Whilst there is a role for SDO?s in the planning process they should be an option of the last resort for a purpose that will have an overriding public benefit and only after public input.?

He said that the conservation group had asked the Ministry of Environment to clarify the criteria on SDOs because there appeared to be an increase in their use.

It has already said that such orders are usually only given in other countries for major developments of national interest, such as airport runways and power stations, and only then as a last resort and after a public inquiry.

Mr. Conway said that the Trust hoped the Fairmont had decided to ?do the right thing? and save the golf course.

He continued: ?We objected to the application which proposed developing against the fundamental principles set out under the open space zoning.

?The approval, if it came, would have to be by SDO granted by the Minister of the Environment and this would set a dangerous precedent.

?The extent of development on the Island is at such a level that with our limited land mass, we rely on golf courses to provide valuable natural breaks and add to Bermuda?s biodiversity.?

Referring to the recent publicity about sustainable development in Bermuda, the Trust chief added: ?The impetus of the sustainable development initiative promotes public input to the process of development of the Island.

?But it seems that SDOs go against this process by avoiding the normal public consultation by advertising the opportunity to object or comment.?

Attempts to contact the Ministry of Environment for a comment on the Trust?s concerns about SDOs were unsuccessful.

David Summers, president of Bermuda-Caribbean Engineering Consultants, agents for the Fairmont Southampton, said the fact that the 1992 Bermuda Development Plan was now 14 years ago had to be taken into account when it came to the issue of rising SDO applications.

?Bermuda really does need a new development plan and this is why more and more SDOs are being sought,? he told in April.