Architects and planning consultants are encouraging residents to review the Draft Bermuda Plan to ensure their interests are protected.

The Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 was released to the public on Friday and residents have until October 3 to comment.

Planners and architects are currently making their way through the document, but so far the general opinion seems to be that the zoning is similar to the previous 1992 Bermuda Plan.

Among the differences, however, are tighter Residential housing regulations and clearer Rural zoning.

The Base Lands Plan 1996, West End Development Plan 1984, and Pembroke Marsh Plan 1987 have also been superseded by the new Bermuda Plan.

Announcing the Planning Statement and Zoning Maps on Friday, Environment Minister El James said: "The Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 is now the operative development plan for the Island. All new planning applications received today and hereafter will be subject to the policies and provisions of the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008."

The statutory consultation period of two months has been extended to four, "to give the public more time to review".

"During this period, the public can comment and make objections or representations for consideration at a public inquiry to be held by the Tribunal appointed for that purpose," said Mr. James.

The Minister will then review the Tribunal's report and present his comments and the final Plan to Parliament.

The Bermuda Plan 2008 will then guide all development until 2015.

Government says the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 was influenced by requests for rezoning by members of the public as well as stakeholders and statutory bodies.

It was also shaped by the Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan.

Mr. James said: "Bermuda has a finite land mass, and to that end the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 strives to balance the need to accommodate appropriate development with the need to conserve and protect natural areas for future generations.

"The Plan is based on three strategies to promote and provide for: conservation, development, and social opportunity."

They are: a Conservation Strategy, Development Strategy and Social Strategy.

Among its objectives, Government says it wants to encourage development on brownfield, 'cluster housing' schemes, and "a range of housing types including affordable housing, special needs housing and group housing".

The Zoning Maps designate the lands of Bermuda into four types — Development Base Zones, Conservation Base Zones, Conservation Areas and Protection Areas.

Under each, the land is then classed into further zones and areas, each of which has specific regulations.

John Gardner, a partner with architects Cooper and Gardner, said yesterday: "People should take a look through the Draft Bermuda Plan to see if there's any issues they need to pay attention to, in order to protect their property.

"Property owners may find nothing has changed, or they may be better off or worse off, but this is a once-in-every-ten-to-fifteen year opportunity to influence the zoning of your property. You need to pay attention and gain professional advice."

Mr. Gardner said: "At the moment I am working my way through the Plan but the zoning seems to be more similar than different and it appears they have closed the loophole of three apartments in two dwellings."

He explained this was the practice of building an additional apartment to create three units, "effectively allowing you to get another house on the same lot".

Mr. Gardner said however, there were "encouraging" signs to creating more affordable housing.

"There's appears to be some nice provisions to encourage affordable housing in Residential housing," he said.

Chartered planner Peter Adwick, of the Adwick Planning consultancy, is also recommending the public read the document.

"The Plan has been awaited for quite some time and there are some differences between this and the former 1992 Plan,' he said.

"The general zonings apart from certain areas are fairly similar, but some of the regulations have changed and so it is important for people to be aware of those. These are the policies newly written into the Plan."

Mr. Adwick, a former Assistant Director for Forward Planning with Government, said: "What has happened in the past is that some people have not been aware of a new Plan coming out and as a result, have lost out.

"People need to be aware of the implications and what the changes mean for them."

He said: "The Plan does not represent a major new approach but there have been changes in certain policy areas, such as Residential, with a tightening of regulations.

"There's also a Rural zoning that was left rather undefined in the previous Plan, which led to confusion.

"In this Plan they are being more specific about lot sizes which will help people to understand where they are more."

According to the Zoning Maps, Southlands is still zoned as Tourism while Morgan's Point is classed as a Special Study Area.

Government did not comment yesterday but it is thought changes could come into force when more specific announcements are made.

Although Premier Dr. Ewart Brown announced in April that it was "most likely" Southlands would become a national park, there have been no further announcements as yet.

Stuart Hayward, chairman of the Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST), said yesterday: "Because the Draft Bermuda Plan is large and complex, BEST will be collaborating with other environmental organisations, including the National Trust and Greenrock, and we will pool our resources to review the Plan."

He said: "One aspect that has for too long been missing is marine development.

"There needs to be guidelines, restrictions and zonings for marine development projects, especially those that involve landfill (the airport dump), or major dredging or blasting near coral reefs (such as shipping channels for cruise ships).

"Projects that may have a major impact on the marine environment can no longer be left to whim or ad hoc policy."

The Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 Planning Statement and Zoning Maps are available at the Department of Planning website at: www.planning.gov.bm

The public can also view the Plan at the Planning Department, Parish Post Offices, the Bermuda National Library, and at a series of public exhibitions.

Guidance notes are available and Technical Officers are also on hand to assist the public with any queries via e-mail, the telephone or in person.

Bermuda Plan summary

Government outlines areas of note in the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 as:

— Conservation area policies and the conservation base zone — aims to protect habitats, woodland, agricultural land, open space, islands, coastal areas and recreational areas;

— Protection area policies — to protect historic buildings and areas, caves, water resources, airport lands and approaches;

— Promotion of controlled development — an example is the new Mixed Use development base zone in St. George's, Southside and Dockyard, creating 'Community Centres' in which residents can "live, work and play";

— More affordable housing — residential policies to allow higher residential densities in areas close to commercial and mixed use centres. Also to allow smaller, compact lot sizes in appropriate areas;

— Utilities policies — to encourage the use of renewable energy sources;

— Tourism — flexible policies to ensure the Island's tourism product can meet the demands of an ever-changing industry;

— Accessibility — policies to ensure development is accessible to all, also allowing group housing and housing for the elderly.