Three environmental watchdogs have joined forces to sink their teeth into plans for a massive expansion of the National Equestrian Centre.

And they say the price of the new international-standard arena -- nearly four acres of wooded hillside -- is too high.

Now the National Trust, the Aubudon Society and Save Open Spaces have joined forces to ride to the rescue of the threatened public land, next to the existing arena at Vesey Street in Devonshire -- and called on Premier Pamela Gordon to intervene.

National Trust director Amanda Outerbridge said: "The devastation of the hillside, which would leave a cliff as high as the Bank of Bermuda building at Albouys Point, would involve quarrying out 200,000 cubic square feet of rock.

"It would, in fact, look like a major quarry for the three years it would take to do the work.

"The accompanying dust, noise and ecological destruction of such an industrial site would be environmentally devastating for this area.'' And she predicted such a massive alteration of the landscape would have a knock-on effect, especially in Devonshire Marsh, largely owned by the Trust and the Aubudon Society.

Ms Outerbridge said: "It would create a wind funnel which would hurt many more acres of woodland and the nature reserve at Devonshire Marsh. The marsh has been greatly stressed in recent times through fire and additional environmental stress could be catastrophic.'' And the National Trust called for the threatened land to be protected under the National Park system, with Vesey Street becoming a no through road, as was done at Shelly Bay Park.

She added that the Premier had been asked to suspend the Special Development Order granted by the Planning Department, which would effectively suspend the Woodland Reserve zoning on the proposed site.

The Trust was backed by Peter Holmes, president of the Audubon Society, who described the proposed cliff face as "a permanent scar on the landscape'' and "highly visible'' from Middle Road. He added the proposed development would also "severely degrade'' a further four acres of Woodland Reserve to the north and east of the site. Ian McDonald-Smith of SOS added: "We feel that the Development Applications Board has no choice but to refuse this application solely on the zoning of the land in question. "The land proposed for the development and the surrounding area is of paramount importance to the rural nature of Devonshire and hence Bermuda.

"Almost four acres of Bermuda's dwindling supply of woodland and an entire hillside of public land could be devastated for a development that benefits a small private interest group.'' Mr. McDonald-Smith described the quarrying and subsequent changes to the landscape as "obscene'' and that defences -- that the excavation would be concealed and the ledges created planted -- were "weak.'' Acting Permanent Secretary of the Environment, Brian Rowlinson, said that the Special Development Order was just an administrative measure to allow the DAB to examine the proposal. He stressed: "It could not be approved or even considered under the zoning as it stands now. The board would have no option to dismiss it out of hand.'' This order does not represent a fait accompli -- the important thing to point out is that the decision remains in the hands of the board. "The public's right to make objections is maintained, the right of objectors to be heard is maintained and the right to appeal has been maintained. It also gives the applicant the right to put forward its case...'' Amanda Outerbridge