Developer Kirk Kitson was approved final Planning permission to proceed with the final phase of his Paget apartment complex by building eight more townhouses.

The first phase consisted of nine two-bed townhouses at No. 2, Honey Hill ? all of which have been rented to workers in international business.

?It relieves pressure on the Bermudian housing market,? Mr. Kitson said. ?It has social benefits.?

Mr. Kitson conceded that building executive rentals was ?good for business? but would not say how much the final phase was likely to cost.

Neither could he provide a likely start date as the contractor he wanted to use had a backlog of work.

Mr. Kitson?s new approval brought the total number of townhouses at the development to 17.

Twelve more had been planned but this had been scaled back to free up space for a swimming pool for residents.

Development of the first phase was delayed six months when it was damaged by Hurricane Fabian, he said.

The Development Applications Board (DAB) said a communal garbage area should be provided.

?In order to reinstate the Conservation Area, the supplementary planting of the Woodland Reserve, shall be completed prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Use and Occupancy Permit for any of the hereby approved dwelling units,? it said.

The Spicelands Riding Centre has been granted Planning permission to update its existing stable at Lot 7, off Middle Road, Warwick.

The DAB gave final Planning approval for Spicelands to build a new stable for 22 horses. Owner Judy Baum said on Friday she was pleased at getting Planning approval as the plan had been in the works for a year. ?It is not a big jump,? she said. ?We are upgrading. The building was quite old.?

The DAB said she had permission to keep 13 pony stalls at an existing building on the south-east corner of the site, however, she said she had been keeping 15 ponies there. The DAB also said the approval applied only to Lot 7 and not to any other land in the area.