Planning officials have stopped leading St. George's bar owner Chris West from building on a strip of land he owns because it has been zoned a wooded area.

Government officers stepped in on Thursday when Mr. West's builders drove a bulldozer over the site on Cut Road to make an access path to a two-bedroom cottage he is building.

Mr. West, who owns the White Horse Tavern, said he knew the site was zoned woodland reserve, but says it was a lawn when he bought it 20 years ago and has remained so.

He said he applied to the Planning Department for permission to build the path through the land, but went ahead when he did not receive a reply.

Bermuda National Trust Director Amanda Outerbridge said it was unacceptable for landowners to "take the law into their own hands'' when they have disputes with Planning.

Mr. West told The Royal Gazette : "The land I went over is my land and it is zoned wooded but it is a grass lawn and has been so for the last 20 years.

"I don't know if I want to go into too many details before it's sorted out.

"It's only grass and we've had a planning application in. We took the bulldozer over what they consider to be wooded land.

"We have applied to go across there to make exits on the property we are allowed to build and we confirmed we would plant trees indigenous to Bermuda afterwards on the site, but we never got an answer.

"We have applied to Planning but it has been three years and there have been all sorts of hold-ups.

"It is not very good. I am angry and disappointed. Every time we move they stop (us).'' Ms Outerbridge said: "Protective zonings, such as woodland reserve, have to be observed by property owners and developers.

"If they wish to have the zoning changed there is a course of action for them to pursue.

"In development, as in any other aspect of life in Bermuda, we as a community suffer if people essentially take the law into their own hands.

"It sounds as though the owner has an issue with the planning process, but that does not give him the right to make up his own rules. If there has been a breach then clearly it is unacceptable.'' The Royal Gazette was unable to contact Planning officials for comment on Friday or yesterday.