The company owning the Princess Hotel has launched a fight against the go-ahead for the Bermuda Financial Centre, the office-hotel-residential development on the site of the nearby Bermudiana Hotel property.

Citing errors and omissions, Hamilton Properties Ltd. filed a 70-page appeal against the Development Applications Board's in-principle approval of the centre.

It charged the Board had given "carte blanche approval for a thoroughly vague and contrived proposal for...the largest multi-use development ever contemplated in Bermuda.'' It said too many significant questions about the centre should have been cleared up before the DAB approved it in March. The appeal was filed at the Planning Department as the BFCL continued putting plans in place for the $130-million centre.

Yesterday, BFCL president the Hon. Mike Winfield announced the signing of a letter of intent with Bermuda's Sea-Land Ltd. and European-based Christiani & Nielsen to build the centre.

Construction costs are estimated at $80 million.

Sen. Winfield said the BFCL wanted to demolish the existing hotel building by July, excavate the site by September and begin building in October.

Business offices are to be completed by December, 1996 and the 160-room hotel and residences by April, 1997.

"All of these dates are subject to the necessary approvals by Government,'' Sen. Winfield said.

When contacted about the Princess Hotel's appeal, Sen. Winfield said he was "sorry that they're appealing it.

"It seems to me they have a fairly obvious motivation for doing what they're doing. This project was objected to by the National Trust, the Corporation of Hamilton and four other hotels.

"The only one that has appealed this decision is the Princess Hotel. It seems to me the best course would be for them to concentrate on their own infrastructure and plant.'' When contacted about the appeal, Mr. Stephen Barker, Princess Hotels regional vice-president, declined to comment.

But spokesmen for his company are on record expressing concern the centre will become "largest white elephant the Island has ever seen.'' They have referred to studies showing no need for a hotel in the area.

Hamilton Properties' appeal, which comes with an appendix of more than 200 pages, lists 17 grounds for objection.

The first ground said the the Board could not have reasonably considered the BFCL application because it was "woefully inadequate''.

The Board also erred, it said, by approving a project without knowing how many residential units it would build -- "one of the most critical...aspects of residential development.'' Other criticisms of the Board focussed on lack of compliance with zoning standards, failure to take note of reports arguing the hotel was not viable, unsatisfactory attention to traffic, effluent disposal and parking needs and lack of an environmental impact statement.

Finally, it said the Board had failed to pay due regard to the fact that the BFCL's plans had been "altered, amended, substituted, supplemented and superseded on so many occasions that there was considerable doubt as to the actual form and extent of the proposed development.'' Hamilton Properties concluded there was confusion "about what has actually been approved by the Board.

"There is no question the Bermudiana site is in need, perhaps desperate need, of redevelopment.

"This need can't however be used as justification for discarding the careful assessment and thorough evaluation which an application for development is normally and properly subjected to.

"The whole purpose of the Planning Act and Development Plan, and the raison d'etre, of the Planning Department is to ensure that Bermuda is planned and developed in an orderly manner.''