Controversial plans to bulldoze almost half the Fairmont Southampton golf course and build nearly 100 villas have not been scrapped, the hotel?s manager confirmed yesterday.

But Norman Mastalir said they were under review, after hundreds of residents signed a petition protesting against the move.

His comments came after a highly-placed source told that club members had heard that the popular 18-hole course had been thrown a dramatic lifeline.

Proposals to build 91 villas on the site ? reducing the internationally-acclaimed par-three to ten playable holes ? have been shelved, the source added.

?The hotel has agreed to pull the plans to build on the course,? the source stated. ?That?s what members have been told. The 18 holes will remain open.?

The source said that another part of the proposed development, which would see 54 exclusive holiday homes built on Turtle Hill, near the hotel, was still set to go ahead as planned.

But general manager Mr. Mastalir yesterday said plans to build on the golf course were still in place, although he confirmed they were under review in the wake of hundreds of residents voicing concerns to Planning officials.

?We have not made any decision to withdraw any plans at this point,? he said. ?These decisions are not made locally but I?m not aware of any decisions to make any changes at this point in time.?

He added: ?It?s true we are reviewing the plans for the golf course. But they have not been scrapped.?

He confirmed that no changes had been made to the application submitted to Government in March.

When that new development ? totalling 145 new holiday homes ? was unveiled it triggered protests from residents living nearby, as well as golfers who play the picturesque course.

Many of the 91 ?golf villas? will be built on eight of the course?s 18 holes, according to the hotel?s original blueprint. The remaining part of the shortened course not concreted over would include a golf academy, with one hole used for lessons.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts said the changes would ?re-energise the tourism sector in Bermuda?.

But the condo plans led to furious residents complaining about green space vanishing on the Island. By April, nearly 600 had signed a petition protesting against the development and 25 objections had been lodged.

The National Trust also voiced its opposition. The conservation body said the Island would lose about 110,000 square feet of open space ? and said ?the loss of this precious open space cannot be justified?.

A total of 19 visitors from America and Canada who came to Bermuda to play golf also sent objections to the Department of Planning.

Referring to the objections, hotel boss Mr. Mastalir said yesterday: ?We have had a lot of feedback since we made them (the plans) public.

?We try to be a great corporate citizen and a good member of the community and we are reviewing all the comments and feedback that we have had.?

He said the blueprint was still with Planning officials. When asked when the review would be completed he said: ?I can?t hazard a guess at that. The feedback is in the process of being taken into account.?

Asked for a response to campaigners who say the golf course should not be developed, he replied: ?We have heard our neighbours and further concerns of Bermuda residents and we have taken them into consideration.?

The hotel needs special permission if it goes ahead with plans to build on a large part of the golf course. The Fairmont has already asked the Ministry of Environment for a Special Development Order (SDO).

Under normal Planning rules, the proposals would have to be rejected by the Development Applications Board as the land is classed as open space zone in the Bermuda Development Plan. An SDO would allow permission to be granted by rezoning the land.

Attempts to find out the status of the Fairmont?s SDO bid from the Ministry were unsuccessful last night.