A derelict Pembroke island is set to get a thorough revamp and become the private home of an American writer.

Agar's Island -- the site of Bermuda's first aquarium and of an underground gunpowder magazine built in 1870 -- was purchased from the Cox family by top computer and technology writer James Martin for an undisclosed sum.

Mr. Martin -- who also has a home in Tucker's Town -- spoke to The Royal Gazette from Vermont yesterday.

"Agar's Island is intended to become my home. I am restoring an old cottage there and I am trying to do it in the old original style.'' However there is more to his plans, he added, including the enhancement of the island's "rich and interesting ecology''.

"Generally, the work being done on the island will make its ecology as good as it can be. Hopefully there will be an increase in the bird life there after construction of the saltwater and fresh water ponds are finished.'' A planning application for permission to build these ponds, as well as rebuild an existing stores building for use as a gazebo and tea room, was received by the Development Applications Board on June 24.

Planning forms indicate that further plans for the island near Two Rock Passage include turning existing buildings into a guest cottage, a staff cottage and a slat house.

Mr. Martin has already received "approval with conditions'' from the DAB to build a porch addition and construct a balustrade around the underground magazine.

Another intention is to get the island connected to a phone cable for communication purposes and use of the Internet, he added.

When asked when he would be moving in, he replied: "I could live there in a fairly primitive way this autumn. It will be the summer after that before the cottage is done.'' The island has been set for development in the past with the Bermuda Transportation Company winning approval in principle in 1995 to build a new covered boathouse at Agar's Island, several guest houses, a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a squash court but this never materialised.