stage further.

In a ruling handed down by the Objections Tribunal to the draft 1992 Bermuda Plan, members decided a large part of Catchment Hill on Harrington Sound should remain zoned for residential development.

The tribunal's decision came as a blow to the Bermuda National Trust and the Mid Ocean Club in nearby Tuckers Town.

A "grave error'' had been made, Trust environmental committee chairman Mr.

Tim Marshall charged yesterday.

His only hope now to save the 38-acre parcel of land was MPs in debating the Plan would ensure the "pro-development'' decision was overturned, he said.

The Tribunal, chaired by Mr. Jack Lightbourn, gave its decision in a 333-page report released yesterday outlining the hearings and its decisions.

Bermuda Properties Limited -- the owners of Catchment Hill, and the Planning Department had agreed out of court to reduce the restrictive zoning of the land in the draft 1992 Bermuda Plan, and did so.

The Trust and Mid Ocean Club launched objections.

They wanted the land's expanded "Residential 2'' zoning to be changed to "Open Space'' and its "Woodland'' and "Green Space'' zonings to be changed to a more restrictive "Woodland Reserve'' zoning.

The Mid Ocean Club argued a development on Catchment Hill would have a significant impact on the setting of its golf course.

The Trust said the development would destroy one of the last forests on the Island. And it said there was no justifiable reason to release it now.

But the Tribunal decided it agreed with the previous Tribunal's (hearing 1983 draft Bermuda Plan objections) conclusion that Catchment Hill was suitable for a well-designed and landscaped housing scheme which respected the surrounding woodland slopes.

The Tribunal noted neither the Trust nor Mid Ocean Club had objected to the 1983 decision.

"The Tribunal considers a Residential 2 Development Zone, as applied on the 1992 draft Plan and on the amendment agreed by the Department (of Planning) and the objector (Bermuda Properties) to be correct for the site.

"The central issue to be determined is the appropriate extent of that Residential 2 zone.

"After careful deliberation the Tribunal recommends the 1992 Draft Plan Development Zone be extended both to the north and south ... The Tribunal further recommends that the Conservation Area designation within the Residential 2 zone be amended to Woodland as was agreed between the Department and the objector.''