The US Consulate was advised six years ago that its home next door to Clifton may be unsuitable for its long-term needs.

The Development Applications Board aired its concerns over the site — currently the subject of a row stemming from its lack of parking facilities — when giving permission for a new security building and fencing at the Devonshire property in May 2002.

Residents say the Consulate should have found itself more appropriate premises instead of pushing forward controversial plans to put a visitors' car park on a lawn at neighbouring Clifton, the official residence of the Premier.

They add that the abandonment of usual protocol over the car park proposal — in which Works and Engineering started digging up the lawn before residents were consulted — suggests that the matter is a "done deal" between Premier Ewart Brown and US Consulate General Gregory Slayton.

One resident, Daniel Robinson, says the move will pave the way for Clifton to be sold to the US, especially as Dr. Brown has now appeared to imply Clifton was never the official residence of the Premier — even though that's how it was referred to when his predecessor Alex Scott lived there.

Mr. Slayton says the car park is vital for safety reasons as currently visitors have to walk along a busy road from the Arboretum. The Consulate did not respond when asked why it had not found an alternative site since the DAB's advice in 2002.

The DAB had stated, under then chairman Ross Smith: "Whilst the board does not have any objections to the development, the board is of the opinion that the site, subject of this application, may be inappropriate for the possible long-term needs of the Consulate."

Mr. Robinson has not objected to the proposal but says residents have been disrespected throughout.

"If Mr. Slayton says he wants to be a good neighbour, why didn't he call us to a meeting on this parking lot? My belief is that it was a done deal between the Premier and Mr. Slayton.

"The Premier and Mr. Slayton got their hands caught in the cookie jar. Now they want to change their rules to make it look good, changing the use of the property at Clifton, saying it's not the Premier's residence.

"I believe now that this is part of the bigger picture, and the property is going to belong to the US anyway.

"Dr. Brown is leaving a sad legacy on this Island."

Mr. Slayton is off the Island but responded briefly yesterday: "Again, I just will state that our desire is to SAVE LIVES and prevent serious injuries. Literally thousands of people (most of them Bermudians) visit the Consulate each year. For many years, people have complained (sometimes bitterly) about the danger and the hassle of the current parking situation."

The Premier and Consulate did not address the claims about it being a "done deal".

The MP for the area, John Barritt of the United Bermuda Party, said: "The neighbours and myself have had the impression when this surfaced that this was a done deal.

"When work first began, it came to light that they completely bypassed the planning process.

"This is the second challenge we have had in recent times. When they tried to provide greater security, there were residents who felt promises had been made to them about what work was done and they would be consulted — but the Consulate went ahead and did what it wanted to do."

Mr. Barritt added: "That never was an appropriate site for a Consulate, being a predominantly residential neighbourhood, on a major artery in and out of Hamilton."

Meanwhile, the Premier's Press Secretary Glenn Jones has opted not to clear up confusion arising from the statement he attributed to Dr. Brown that: "Cabinet has decided there should be no designation of Clifton as the official residence of the Premier."

We asked whether that meant Clifton had never been designated by Parliament as an official residence for the Premier, even though it was continually referred to as such a few years ago.

We sent Mr. Jones copies of a number of articles backing up the contradiction and asked for a summary of the position. Mr. Jones did not reply.