A Planning investigation has been launched after a Sandys man bulldozed through 1,000-year old rock formations and destroyed longtail nests on a private beach.

And it has been discovered that the land Henry Talbot cleared in order to create access to his beach house is zoned as woodland reserve. "That means it is untouchable," one architect told yesterday.

Neighbours were horrified over the weekend to discover that Mr. Talbot, a Progressive Labour Party trustee, had bulldozed the length of the beach at Gilbert's Bay, destroying several natural rock formations in the process.

A portion of the cliff face at the beach appeared to have been shaved away, and several of the boulders created when the natural rocks were destroyed were cemented in place to create an apparent sea wall below the mean high tide mark.

Government conservationist Jeremy Madeiros noted that as many as five or six longtail nests were destroyed in the bulldozing, including several that were active and may have contained chicks or eggs.

Mr. Talbot owns the vast majority of the beach above the high water mark, while neighbour Glenn Robinson owns a small portion at the northern end. The land below the high water mark is common open space.

"An enforcement officer has visited the site, and he does have concerns," Planning Director Rudolph Hollis said yesterday.

Adding there are "clearly defined protected areas", Mr. Hollis said: "If he's destroyed longtail nests, that's illegal ? they are a natural habitat. Construction on the beach is also a forbidden act. Judging from the information in the newspaper it appears this is so, but we are awaiting the official report."

Mr. Hollis added he expects that report to be completed by next Wednesday.

The Bermuda Plan 1992 maps for Sandys parish show that the land bordering the beach at Gilbert's Bay, including a significant portion of the hillside which has been cleared leading down to a beach house constructed within the last three years, is all zoned as woodland reserve.

Mr. Talbot refused to comment when contacted by last night.