Residents have lost their battle to prevent a medical centre being built in a residential street opposite the Botanical Gardens.

Householders in Berry Hill Road, Paget, objected to the Planning application by Cardinal Trust, saying the "creep" of medical offices would spoil the character of the neighbourhood and create further traffic congestion.

Residents also said the two-storey facility was a commercial development, and was therefore at odds with the Residential Two development zone.

Among 15 letters of objection sent to Planning, neighbours questioned why the doctors' surgery could not be sited elsewhere.

Barry Fitzsimmons of Camden North Road said: "With all the large new buildings under construction in Hamilton and all the new office available within these buildings, why would anyone consider knocking down a perfectly good house in this lovely green and woodland neighbourhood?"

Residents said the property was bordered by Woodland Reserve and argued the surgery would "impact negatively upon the Botanical Gardens and Masterworks Museum to the south".

A joint letter stated: "The 'creep' of medical office development along Berry Hill Road should be stopped. Further demolition of residential homes on this residential thoroughfare is changing the character of this route. While this area is home to the hospital, it is also home to the Botanical Gardens, the Bermuda Masterworks Museum and many residential homes.

"Point Finger Road has already succumbed to significant commercial development and Harbour Road heading east towards the RHADC is increasingly commercialising, and the DAB should not allow further creep along Berry Hill Road."

Another resident, Ian Brown, said: "The creep of development into medical, philanthropic and all manner of types of offices have changed the character of that area of Bermuda permanently."

They claimed traffic would also pose a problem. Brian and Carrie Rosorea, of Up and Down Lane, said: "Of primary concern to us is the amount of increased traffic congestion and potential for road accidents that may occur as a result of increased commercialisation of this residential area."

The Development Applications Board however, said the surgery represented "social development" and an application for change of use from residential to social was permissable under the Bermuda Plan 1992.

"The proposal is consistent with the provisions of the Bermuda Plan 1992, Planning Statement for siting social development within a Residential Two Development zone," said a committee report.

The two-storey medical centre, opposite King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, will cover 5,660 square feet and house three doctors' practices. It will have 25 parking spaces, to accommodate 13 staff and 12 patients at any one time.

Cardinal Trust submitted the planning application through Trott and Duncan, with Botelho Wood as agents. The development involves the demolition of an existing house, pool and pool house. Access to the property will also be changed from Camden North Road to Berry Hill Road.

The DAB said: "The reality is that the proposed access to this site will be much improved when compared to others along the Berry Hill Road and will not occasion a significant increase in traffic."

In a letter to Planning, architects Botelho Wood said: "The property is ideally located close to the hospital, is in the centre of the Island and is within an area that is recognised for its concentration of health-related services."

The company said the surgery would be screened from view by landscaping, with hedging to "ensure dense screening of the parking area".

Additional plants to the rear of the site would also help to "improve and extend the zoned areas of Woodland Reserve that seperate this property from the land to the north and east".

Botelho Wood said: "The discrete residential character of the streetscape will be maintained.

"In conclusion, this medical centre provides a desirable and valuable social amenity in a convenient and central location. The size of the site and topography of the area are well suited to a small medical offices building within a residential area."