A new bill giving the Department of Airport Operations more land will satisfy regulatory requirements and objectives to redevelop the airport.

The Department already has 539 acres of land, but a new schedule approved in the House of Assembly yesterday gave it another 123 acres.

Premier and Minister of Transport Ewart Brown pointed out that the aviation world put increased security protocols in place following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

He said ongoing audits of the Department of Airport Operations (DAO) by international regulatory bodies over the last several years have determined that critical land areas in Bermuda should be reserved for aviation purposes only.

That prompted discussions aimed at transferring lands from the Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) to the DAO.

"These discussions have led to an amenable designation of land that ensures the interests of both agencies are maintained," said Dr. Brown.

The 123 acres comprises of a number of parcels of land, and Dr. Brown said the transfers "are essential to ensuring that LF Wade International Airport is positioned to meet its international regulatory requirements with a view to achieving optimum safety for the travelling public."

Among the parcels of land are:

• 18 acres, formerly known as the main gate, located at the Kindley Field Road / Swing Bridge Rotary. This is needed to facilitate the extension of a taxiway to stop aircraft having to taxi across an active runway.

l A 1.9 acre site surrounding the former Nato hangar. The hangar is controlled by the DAO but its revenue earning potential is compromised by the lack of landside parking or road access as the surrounding lands were formerly assigned to the BLDC.

• A 78 acre land mass often referred to as The Finger, which is landlocked and inaccessible for any use other than aviation. It is currently used for parking military aircraft and training for the airport fire department. Dr. Brown said aviation security requirements mean this land mass must remain a secure area.

• A further 12 acres located at Ferry Reach and Clearwater will be used for the installation of additional runway approach lights.

Safety and security changes under the new airport master plan can go ahead once the land is transferred.

However, Dr. Brown said the centrepiece of the master plan a new terminal building is not in Government's immediate capital plans.

The current airport facility, he said, has "exceeded its useful life" and remains under threat by hurricane storm surge.

Designs have already been produced for a replacement airport terminal, but they would cost between $300 and $400 million.

Kim Swan of the UPB said the plans made "eminently good sense."

Grant Gibbons of the UBP said it was unfortunate that land on this small island has to be sanitised due to terrorism.