fight to build on a Great Sound island.

Mr. Perry, a member of the Evangelical Church, wants to build a religious retreat on tiny Grace Island, which he owns.

Planners and National Trust officials say the island should be kept as natural open space.

But Mr. Perry says he intends to keep most of the island as a nature reserve, restore native woodland and build on a small, secluded central area.

His original scheme for a Christian retreat, with maximum space for 140 campers, was turned down. His appeal was also dismissed.

Yesterday he appeared before the tribunal hearing objections to the new draft plan for Bermuda.

The draft plan proposes Grace Island should be open space with a nature reserve. But Mr. Perry argues this would prevent any building, and wants the central section to be zoned "institutional''.

Mr. Perry's architect, Mr. Douglas Backeberg, said the retreat plan envisaged most visits would involve 20 or 30 people. The development would be run by a non-profit trust.

He said casuarina trees were threatening natural plants, a squatter had moved onto the island, and litterers were "messing it up''.

But Planning officer Mr. Peter Adwick said it was policy to keep islands in their "natural state''.

There had not been a major change from the "open space'' zoning in the previous Bermuda plan, he said. That zoning allowed a "discretion'' for building.

National Trust environmental officer Ms Toby Butterfield said the intention behind Mr. Perry's plan might be good. But such islands were evidence of Bermuda's natural heritage, and were fragile and unique habitats.

Neighbours in an exclusive area of Paget have clashed over a boundary, the tribunal heard.

Dr. Gerit Besselaar and Planning had come to an agreement on the zoning of a woodland reserve near his Inglewood House home.

But neighbours Mr. and Mrs. DeForest Trimingham and Mrs. Claudia Trimingham objected to the new line.

Dr. Besselaar's neighbours objected two years ago to his plan to redevelop the house, saying it would spoil the area's rural character. But the plan was given the go-ahead.

Yesterday his agent, Mr. John Wilson-Allen, said the boundary had been re-drawn because it had been inaccurate. The position of the woodland zone was not affected.

But Mr. Trimingham said changing the boundary would enable Dr. Besselaar to expand his cottage.

At present the woodland preserved the area's character and gave the Triminghams protection from development, he said.

Mrs. Claudia Trimingham said birds, including redbirds and bluebirds, had disappeared from the area. She said she wanted to defend her children's "birthright''.