Developers are advertising for hotel staff for Southlands despite the resort still awaiting the go-ahead of a Special Development Order.

More than 40 applicants — mainly Bermudians — have already registered their interest, although developers Southlands Ltd. say there is no official advertisement as yet.

Controversial plans for the 300-suite Jumeirah Southlands resort are currently awaiting the final decision of Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield.

The five-star cliff side resort would be operated by the Jumeirah Group and offer tourist accommodation in a variety of suites and condominiums. Situated along Warwick's South Shore it will feature 300 balcony suites, five restaurants and bars, a nightclub, spa, pools, equestrian centre and a conference centre. Jumeirah Southlands would be the first 'luxury resort' to be constructed in Bermuda for 35 years.

Environmentalists and residents campaigning against the 37-acre resort want to protect the land as open space. They say the development will destroy the shore line and natural habitats, as well as increasing congestion on surrounding roads.

The Dubai-based Jumeirah Group aims to open the 497-bed resort by the summer of 2008, pending the SDO and approval of building permits.

The advertisement for jobs on the Southlands Ltd. website reads: "Imagine yourself as a valuable member of the Jumeirah Southlands team.

"Thank you for your interest in Jumeirah Southlands. We are searching for unique people to help us create a different kind of resort in Bermuda. We value diversity, equal opportunity, integrity and sincerity and will be offering a world-class environment for a select team of innovative and people-focused individuals. Please supply us with the following information pertinent to employment consideration."

Those interested are then asked for: contact details; whether they are a Bermuda citizen or their work permit status; the position they are interested in; and their relevant experience.

Southlands Ltd. said yesterday that the “unofficial” advertisement was something being drawn up in preparation for the SDO decision. Owner Craig Christensen said: “Jumeirah was putting it together but there’s been nothing official. There’s been about 40 applicants and, bearing in mind it has not really been made public yet, surprisingly we’ve had a lot of interest already.

“Predominantly it’s local people who have taken an interest, but it’s not something we’ve pushed. It is anticipated we will start (the application process) when we get the final approval, so it is unofficial at the moment.”

Mr. Christensen said the Jumeirah Group and Southlands Ltd. would give Bermudians priority in their recruitment. The resort would offer 590 full-time positions, ranging from service staff to management and IT specialists.

“Obviously Bermudians are first. There is no quota stipulated but we will give them priority,” said Mr. Christensen.

He said a Government survey showed Bermudians represented 65 per cent of the Island’s hospitality staff.

“There’s a lot of interest from Bermudians,” he added.

Jumeirah has launched initial publicity for the resort on its website and in the international hospitality industry press.

However Stuart Hayward, chairman of Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST), which campaigns against the development, said he was not too concerned. “There are a lot of companies which build homes who, long before they’re even started, try to sell them,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a done deal at all.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Environment said: “The Minister and her advisors are still reviewing the proposed development at the Southlands property with the developers.

“All Special Development Orders are reviewed by the Cabinet prior to the Minister signing and publishing the Order.”

More than 3,200 people have signed an anti-Southlands petition organised by BEST, and Mr. Hayward said “support is growing” for the campaign. He added that the granting of an SDO for the neighbouring Golden Hind site could prove “a mixed blessing”.

Atlantic Development is to build a nine-storey, 220-room resort there called Grand Atlantic Resort and Residences. The 13.1-acre site includes an area of green space and zoned ‘woodlands’.

Mr. Hayward said: “It may be that the price of this SDO means that it will be more difficult for the Southlands project to be given approval. I think it would be very difficult to approve one type of massive development on the Atlantic site and then approve another massive development on the Southlands site.

“It’s impossible for me to imagine that something the scale of the Southlands project will get approval. It is unprecedented in Bermuda, for a development of that scale on the shoreline, almost at sea level and so close to the water.

“For something like this to get approval, it would fly in the face of decades of best practice and technical advice in Bermuda.”

Mr. Hayward added: “If an SDO was granted then BEST would trigger a judicial review of this, for those very reasons. We don’t think it is good development or good tourism practice. We want to make our tourism product sustainable.”

Non-profit organisation Greenrock is calling for tighter regulations for SDOs and Environmental Impact Studies under the Planning Act. Vice president Andrew Vaucrosson said the fast-tracking of SDOs was a symptom the law needed to be changed.