Prospect residents opposed to Government plans to add more low-rent housing units to their neighbourhood had their long-awaited meeting with the Housing Minister this week.

But with no resolution in sight, and with the Opposition party squarely on their side, their battle seems headed to the House of Assembly.

Yesterday Mr. DeVent confirmed that he had met with the committee spearheading opposition to Government's plans to build 34 extra units in the Alexandra Road neighbourhood.

“We had open and honest dialogue and were pleased to talk,” he said.

“And I was pleased to meet with them - some of the problems were that they had not had open and honest dialogue and it was good to hear their concerns and I expressed my concerns. I just expressed my basic concern that I'm charged with providing housing.

“And I simply expressed my desire that it's essential that we work together to provide for those that don't have it.

“I'm sure that everyone acknowledges the problem. But acknowledging it is one thing and being prepared to make compromises is another thing as well. This is a community problem. If we don't provide housing we'll have more social problems coming from that.”

He wouldn't say much more except that talks will continue.

But Mr. DeVent took the opportunity to criticise this newspaper for its stance on the issue.

“It's easy to call people to arms - but when it's all said and done we collectively have to find affordable housing for everyone in Bermuda,” he said referring to a recent editorial.

Homeowners in the area oppose plans to add more housing on top of flat-topped Government owned units on Alexandra Road.

They argue that the plans would lower the quality of life there and turn the community into a ghetto.

Efforts to negotiate a resolution came to a head earlier this month when it emerged that the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) had already applied for Planning permission.

That development caused a crisis of confidence in their elected representative, Glenn Blakeney, who had assured them that the houses would not be built.

From one insider's account, Sunday's meeting with Mr. DeVent only served to stiffen the resolve of the homeowners.

“It was another blatant case of newspeak where they have absolutely no intention of changing their mind. They are going to build no matter what.

"He stated that our neighbourhood may have to go the way of Friswells Hill and Court Street, because there are so many people needing housing, we all have to give up our space. He would not walk around with us - he said he's already seen it.”

Any expressed disdain for the “Friswells Hill/Court Street” reference would not have gone down well with the Minister - Mr. DeVent lives in the heart of Court Street.

The insider complained that Mr. DeVent could not say what kind of support his Ministry would provide to the community if the project goes ahead, or what the medium-term vision for the community was, and, that he even admitted that he was powerless to make a decision on whether the scheme went ahead or not, but that he would have to go back to the BHC “and others” for further discussions.

“We as a community are not going to compromise,” the insider continued.

Government is keen on coming to a compromise with residents, but the Opposition United Bermuda Party is hoping to force a debate on the issue in Parliament and has already laid a House motion that would reject the proposals.

If the homeowners do compromise the UBP would probably be forced to withdraw its motion.

The politicisation of the debate has already caused some cracks in the coalition's armour - one of the committee members is Charlotte Powell, is the mother of PLP Senator Walter Roban.

Ms Powell is believed to have made the only compromise proposal - that the Government convert the existing flattops into rent-to-buy units, or build no more than ten additional units strictly as rent-to-buy.

Other committee members, according to our sources, were having none of it.

“Absolutely not... We are not compromising.”

Mr. DeVent pointed out to the residents that the area was zoned under a UBP Government for 260 units - which means they can legally add about 130 more - and according to one homeowner he made an implied threat that without a compromise there can be no guarantees and the original plans will go ahead with or without him as Minister.

The homeowners say they can't compromise because there simply is no more room for further development.

“He was respectful, he was an excellent listener, they had a potluck dinner afterward, he was not aloof, he was genuine,” the insider continued.

“But it was obvious that he had a mandate and the mandate was these houses must be built. And it was obvious that our only alternative was to compromise.”