told MPs yesterday.

And he said Planning decisions were a balancing act -- with the need to protect the environment weighed against the needs of the community.

Mr. Hodgson said: "The concept of sustainable development represents PLP policy as it is contained in our platform and the Ministry of Environment is pursuing this policy with enthusiasm.'' He told MPs that there were some who felt the Bermuda Plan should only be deviated from when major projects in the national interest -- like a hotel development -- were proposed.

But he said: "The suggestion fails to recognise that the national interest is nothing more than the sum total of the interest of each one of us and this Ministry would like to think that it always has before it each person's interest.'' And he added: "The concept that gives guidance in all of these cases is the concept of balance between conflicting processes.'' Mr. Hodgson defined sustainable development as a mix of economic development, community development and ecological development.

And he said the Planning applications process was set up to take account of all factors in an application. Mr. Hodgson added: "The implementation of a sustainable development strategy therefore involves negotiation among the primary interest groups involved in these three development processes.

"Both the public and Government must take responsibility for balancing these development processes and stakeholders must each take responsibility and leadership to implement the plan.'' He noted: "For such individual approval there is a process by which the Development Applications Board first considers an application and if there is someone not satisfied with the decision, then the matter goes to the Minister for a decision on appeal.'' And he stressed that he was obliged by Planning law to consider all the angles before issuing a decision -- and failure to do so would be illegal.

Mr. Hodgson came under fire earlier this month after his Crawl Gospel Hall was given permission to add an extension after it was turned down on several occasions by planners and independent inspectors.

The extension reportedly meant encroaching on 20 feet of nature reserve at the North Shore Road, Pembroke, site.

Approval for the church's plan -- where Mr. Hodgson worships -- was given by then-Acting Environment Minister Nelson Bascome.

Mr. Hodgson said: "Recently there have been criticisms of this Ministry because of decisions which have been made.

"As a procedural matter when considering an application it usually boils down to a choice between options.

"During the past year, the Ministry has had to consider 40 appeals. In these appeals the Ministry has had advice from independent persons from outside the Ministry. Sometimes the advice has been followed and sometimes it has not.'' And he said: "For example, woodlands and trees area are a beautiful and valuable resource but they are not sacred.

"With the support of the community and the Ministry, we have collected 100,000 cedar berries for planting during the past few months.

"However, we do not hesitate in permitting the removal of trees when it is dictated by the requirements of sustainable development.

"Fortunately, during the past year whenever there has been a decision to allow the removal of trees we have been able to incorporate protection for other trees. Since assuming office last year, there has been no net loss of woodland.''