The Government has responded to critics by reinforcing its message that a finalised Fairmont Southampton special development order “balances the island's environmental responsibilities with the national priority of rejuvenating Bermuda's tourism product”.

The Ministry of the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, which reiterated the “strong environmental protections, planning controls and oversight safeguards” within the SDO, issued a statement after the Opposition and the head of a leading environmental charity expressed concerns about the process.

Reservations were shared with The Royal Gazette after a statutory instrument was published in the Official Gazette last week.

Jarion Richardson, the Shadow Minister of the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, said greater transparency was requires for large-scale development while Kim Smith, the executive director of the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce, said it was imperative that the public has time to consider any alterations that may have been made.

Mr Richardson criticised the document getting “quietly gazetted” using “a negative resolution procedure that avoids proactive debate”.

Both objected to the lack of clear guidance on what specifically had been changed.

A spokesman for the ministry said in response yesterday: “The finalised SDO is not a new approval, but rather the formal completion of the draft SDO that underwent public discussion and Government review in 2023.

“The Order has been strengthened through a robust technical drafting process led by the Department of Planning, ensuring precise environmental requirements, strict conditions and enhanced regulatory clarity.”

The ministry said a “comprehensive suite of environmental safeguards” came with improvements to the site through the creation of protected areas and woodland restoration, and “stringent” wastewater treatment standards.

Public access to “key areas” will be maintained.

The spokesman added: “The hotel-first rule ensures tourism comes first, preventing residential occupancy before the hotel reopens.”

He said the SDO could not override planning officials, with applications required for all phases of development.

Diallo Rabain, the minister, said the SDO “does not grant automatic approval for construction”.

The ministry highlighted the inclusion of a “subdivision plan and an updated phasing plan” for efficient development, along with the hundreds employed in the redevelopment — ending with about 700 staff and an estimated economic impact of $1.4 billion.

Mr Rabain added: “The Fairmont Southampton is a landmark property, and its successful reopening is essential to Bermuda’s tourism recovery and economic growth,”

He said the SDO offered “progress with protection, flexibility with accountability and clarity at every stage”.

Both critics at the weekend called for a breakdown of alterations to the SDO to allow a thorough comparison.

Ms Smith told the Gazette: “Here we are, more than two years later, the SDO in the form of a statutory instrument has been gazetted, but it is not the same as was approved given the ‘improvements’ and ‘refinements’.”

She also highlighted how the instrument is subject to negative resolution in the House, so MPs will not get to debate its details, only voice their objections.

The SDO, as published, allows for the development of 159 tourist and 93 residential units, to be built on two to four-storey buildings on the property.

It also provides for the development of an internal system of roadways and associated parking areas, improvements to the Railway Trail and “the realignment of South Road and consequent revised vehicular access to any affected existing property”.

The SDO also includes a total 7.5 acres of protected land, most of which is reserve next to the South Shore.