plans to develop an 11.6 acre site on Ship's Hill.

Save Open Spaces chairman Ian MacDonald Smith yesterday slammed BPL's plans to build a golf centre and club house, health club and spa and residential units as part of the redevelopment of Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort.

Both the Bermuda National Trust and Save Open Spaces are concerned about the effect the development will have on the cave system below Ship's Hill, woodland and native species in the area.

They believe waste could seep into the system and destroy the habitat of animals and plants unique to Bermuda.

SOS brought in consultants who did a survey of the area above and below ground and strongly recommended that the planned work at Ship's Hill should not go ahead.

At a press conference at the Chamber of Commerce board room yesterday, BPL president Ed Trippe displayed a model and drawings of the plans.

These plans have been submitted to the Department of Planning for final approval.

Mr. Trippe said that an "in depth'' environmental impact study had been carried out.

"The completed report deals with every aspect of the planned development on Ship's Hill,'' he said. "Including the effects on cave and woodland resources, the ramifications of construction and traffic and the economic impact on the community.'' Mr. Trippe said the study, directed by Bermuda Water Consultants Inc., was a "thorough and uncompromised report''.

In an executive summary, the Environmental Impact Study stated that the proposed Ship's Hill development will provide substantial environmental benefits and will have no negative impact on the local cave systems.

And the native and endemic species in the area will also benefit substantially from the proposed changes.

Mr. MacDonald Smith said that his group had not seen the Environmental Impact Statement.

But he said that his group was still opposed to any development at Ship's Hill, even after the BPL made a presentation to SOS and the Bermuda National Trust on Wednesday evening.

"We are still not happy with it,'' he added. "They have tried to address our concerns but the reality is that nothing that they do or say will address our concerns except a decision not to develop any of Ship's Hill.

"They say that they are going to be sensitive to the environment but they cannot guarantee it. They are speculating and there are too many mights and maybes within this equation.'' Marriott's Castle Harbour general manager Mark Conklin disagreed and said the proposed changes to Ship's Hill were tied to his hotel's success in Bermuda.

And with the hotel carrying a deficit of $2.5 million on top of $45 million in losses since the Marriott took over the property in 1984, new investment in the was necessary.

"One thing we need in Bermuda is something new and exciting and that is why we are very excited about this new proposal,'' he said. "In order for us to become a world class resort we feel that we have to have a golf course of this calibre to attract the customers to Bermuda.'' Mr. Conklin said he was also pleased about the proposed residential area that will contain single and family units which business persons could use when hotel suites were unavailable.

Last night Tim Marshall, the National Trust's environment committee chairman, said he met with BPL management and was shown the environmental impact study.

"BPL told us in great detail exactly what their position is. We have started to examine the study and will look at it very carefully and objectively to determine what the consequences, if any, the houses will have on the cave system.'' ENVIRONMENT ENV