An ambitious scheme to unclutter and beautify Hamilton's Front Street waterfront and create new land in the harbour was last night presented to the people of Bermuda at a packed public meeting.

It radically does away with the cargo docks and the need for cruise ships to berth alongside Front Street blocking views of the harbour.

And an underground car park for 800 cars and 800 motorcycles would both do away with unsightly parking lots spoiling the aesthetics of the scheme, while at the same time boosting the number of parking spaces in the heart of town.

Luxury waterfront housing, a hotel, end of pier restaurant and marinas would transform the area, along with landscaped public parks that can be used for hosting open air events, including the potential for 1,000 people to enjoy musical events on a sloping lawn in a new "Parliament Park" opposite the Cabinet Building.

The scheme would entail building new land mass jutting out into the harbour on which to build a hotel, housing, offices and shops as well as marinas.

Early concept artwork showing a signature public park surrounded by pavements and plazas, a new road taking traffic off Front Street half-way between Parliament Street and Burnaby Lane, and a new cruise ship pier angled out of Albuoy's Point was revealed by Mayor Lawson Mapp and colleagues last night. Among those who attended was Deputy Premier Ewart Brown, who spoke at the start of the meeting.

It is estimated the scheme will cost around $639 million and take between ten and 20 years to complete.

Those involved in the five-month project to draw up the waterfront vision believe 80 percent of the development would be funded from the private sector with the remainder ? estimated to be $122m ? the responsibility of the Corporation of Hamilton.

During a public presentation held in ferry terminal shed number one, planning consultant Tony Mallows told the audience: "This plan is a tool. This is the first step in outlining a framework for how a masterplan needs to be detailed and implemented.

"The Corporation has come forward with a vision and a framework. This is not a blueprint for how to build Hamilton's waterfront. My suggestion is that the next step is to refine and define the process where every one can participate."

Mr. Mallows, of Massachusetts-based Sasaki Associates, and Patrick Phillips, President of Economics Research Associates in Washington DC, presented the vision that has been created in consultation with the Corporation.

The reason for last night's meeting was to gauge public views and gather input. Further public consultation is planned.

It is forecast that the new waterfront would create 860 permanent jobs and generate around $5.4m in property and office taxes.

A new cruise ship pier would be able to cope with two small ships, as currently visit Hamilton, or one Panamax-sized cruise ship should the need arise.

It is envisaged the development would be done in two phases, with the second phase replacing the cargo docks. It is also intended to break the scheme into development "parcels" allowing a number of developers the opportunity to participate. When the public was invited to ask questions Andrew Trimingham wanted to know why the Corporation thought it could accomplish such an undertaking when, he claimed, it hadn't managed to alleviate the problem of grid-locked traffic in the city. He also called for the meeting to be adjourned so people could go away and consider the proposals and come back with questions and views.

Ben Nunn, an architect and engineer, expressed optimism about the scope of the waterfront vision and thought it held true to Bermuda's historical heritage and values.

However, Stuart Pearson raised concern about what effect global warming and rising sea-levels might have on the concept of underground parking on Front Street and also apparent lack of space for ferries to berth along the re-designed waterfront.

A pilot boat captain also questioned the manoeuvring of large vessels in the restricted harbour area and the effect of air and water dynamics created by the new water-based constructions.

Mr. Mallows responded saying there had been preliminary talks with boat pilots and more were planned.

Another member of the audience asked what was to happen to the cargo docks.

Tourism department transportation consultant Larry Jacobs responded that Government was engaged in "generating thought and discussion" about the future of the Front Street docks. He said discussions were ongoing with the Corporation and various groups and authorities to consider the possibility of moving the docks to another location, with Morgan's Point and the area on North Shore near the incinerator amongst the possibilities.

One woman wanted reassurance the public would be able to walk along the waterfront and around the new piers and jetties so it would not become "another Tucker's Town" with restricted access. Mr. Mallows said that would not be the case. His colleague Mr. Phillips said that for the privilege of creating high-end market housing on the waterfront developers would be expected to pay into a fund or make a similar contribution to affordable housing elsewhere on the Island, as happens in other countries.

Asked what the next stage is, Mayor Mr. Mapp, said: "After we have had these presentations the dust will have to settle and then we will have expressions of interest and see the response we get from there and move forward."

Earlier in the day he expressed thanks to former Premier Sir John Swan who first proposed a Hamilton waterfront redevelopment a number of years ago, but said the new vision took the idea forward and crucially had found a way of ensuring visiting cruise ships no longer block the view of the harbour from Front Street.