one-day forum last week.

Planning director Brian Rowlinson said the event went exceptionally well with Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson and some 70 architects, engineers, surveyors, designers and others on hand at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. Planning officials outlined recent developments on General Development Order regulations, the new City of Hamilton Plan, the planned review of the 1992 Bermuda Plan and the new Bermuda Residential Building Code.

Highlights included changes to make the application and approval process faster and easier for small projects, upgrades to the department's computer software, the eventual creation of a department website, and the return of an annual report later this year.

And the department and Corporation of Hamilton are investigating water front development and the potential relocation of the Hamilton docks -- possibly to Southside on the former baselands in St. David's.

During a question-and-answer segment, Planning officials were able to clarify many the department's methods and policies.

Concerns raised included maintaining the consistency of reviews of building permit applications, and reducing the bureaucratic nature of departmental correspondence. Mr. Rowlinson said a similar event was held roughly four years ago, but added meetings with specialised sectors of the building industry occurred more frequently.