Bermuda may see an influx of new two-bedroom apartments over the coming year after Planning recently granted approval for two new complexes totalling 33 units.

Sky Top Cottages in Paget received permission to demolish the existing tourist accommodations on the property and build 29 apartments.

Located high atop a hill in Paget with spectacular views, there are currently eleven tourist cottages at Sky Top in four buildings.

An application was submitted to Planning by Bermuda Caribbean Engineering (BCE) consultants on behalf of Failte Limited to bring down the buildings, which were said to be ageing.

"The buildings have reached the end of their useful life span and need to be replaced," wrote BCE consultant Delores Beraldo to Planning. "All the existing buildings will be demolished."

The new complex will consist of five new, separate buildings - four three-storey buildings and one two-storey building.

Each floor of each building will house two, two-bedroom apartments.

"The proposed development meets and exceeds all the residential development standards and includes private outdoor living space and commercial open space," wrote Ms Beraldo.

"The buildings have been positioned to ensure that the grounds can be landscaped, enhancing the privacy of outdoor living spaces. The oversized communal green space area contributes to the rural atmosphere of the property in addition to providing an area for active and passive recreational pursuits."

The lot which will house the new development is 1.86 acres in area.

In other Planning news, neighbours lost a battle in Devonshire against the construction of a complex of four, two-bedroom units on a vacant lot.

Douglas Shirley received final Planning approval to construct the units on Happy Talk Lane, Devonshire.

Neighbours protested the cluster development on the grounds the multi-dwelling building and pool area would be out of context in the community dominated by single family dwellings.

Two letters of objection were received which also claimed traffic would be increased in the area and that the density of the development was too high for the 27,000 square-foot lot.

However, the density and design of the property were deemed to be in line with the 1992 Bermuda Plan and the projects architects - Derek Mitchell and Associates - pointed out that of 13 developed lots in the area, only four house single dwellings.

The board report on the project supported these observations and approval was granted for the complex.