Developments at Southside have presented Bermudians with a huge opportunity to get affordable housing and rent prime business space, according to Minister without portfolio Neletha Butterfield.

As the largest of the Baselands being re-integrated into Bermuda by the Bermuda Land Development Corporation (BLDC), development at Southside provides the best opportunity for the BLDC to become financially self-sufficient.

Ms Butterfield, speaking on behalf of Housing Minister Sen. David Burch during the Housing budget debate at the House of Assembly on Wednesday, said with a housing assistance programme designed to extend home ownership to "as many families as possible", she was very proud of what was happening.

A standard down payment on a house was usually more than 20 percent of the cost of the house, she said.

However through the housing assistance programme, first-time home owners were able to purchase one of the 20 recently-renovated cottages at Southside for as little as five percent down payment.

And 11 more cottages are to be renovated this year, she added.

The Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) had also leased a building from the Bermuda Land Development Corporation (BLDC) at Southside, said Ms Butterfield.

One floor of Building 632 was to be used as emergency housing for single women with children. Other structurally unsound buildings were being demolished to make way for new ones, she said, adding that at Commercial Park many buildings were still sub-standard but are being leased anyway due to the lack of space.

BLDC is even ensuring that the right technology and bandwiths are being made available to buildings in order to attract Bermudians.

Businesses and the retail sector also appear to be thriving at Southside, according to the Minister's brief.

"There are eight open businesses doing quite well," she said, listing Southside Cinema, Southside Family Bowl, Reid's Clearwater Beach Cafe, Pizza House, Double Dip Express, Southside Office Depot, the St. David's Laundromat, and Foran Specialty Advertising as those businesses.

White's Supermarket anticipated opening a store at Southside by Easter, she added.

Renovations have been completed on several other buildings down at the former Baselands including Channel House, which has been converted into a "first-class office building", already leased to house the Government's IT offices.

"For anyone seeking to open a business, there is quite a lot of space (at Southside)," said Ms Butterfield.

Business and housing are not the only focuses of the BLDC at Southside, however.

Plans are underway for an extension to Clearwater Park, adding a new children's playground and permanent recreational facility.

A centre is also planned which will have indoor and outdoor soccer pitches, a basketball court, a gym, and even a room for senior citizens to meet in.

"You can make it a full day out for the family," said Ms Butterfield.

All efforts at Southside were driven towards making the BLDC financially self-sufficient, she added. "A lot is going on at Southside."