The National Trust yesterday welcomed the near completion of the Southlands-Morgan's Point land swap — and repeated its call for Southlands to be designated a park in the Bermuda Plan 2008.

The Trust now accepts it made an error in its objection by mistakenly implying that the Draft Bermuda Plan 2008 contained a larger area of land zoned for high density housing than the Bermuda Plan 1992.

However, it said this does not change its objection to the draft plan which zones the land for Residential One and Tourism Development.

On Monday, 24 hours before dropping the Environment portfolio to take over as Education Minister, El James announced Government was "almost there" with the exchange which would see the Jumeirah resort built at Morgan's Point instead of Southlands.

Mr. James said as Environment Minister he would "fight all the way" for Southlands to then be made a public park.

Responding yesterday, the Trust stated: "The National Trust is encouraged to hear that the land swap agreement is near to completion and that progress is being made toward the site being designated a national park and hopes to see this reflected in the final Bermuda Plan 2008 when it is published."

In its objection to the draft plan, the Trust had stated: "Unlike the 1992 Bermuda Plan, a significant area of the northern section of the property has been zoned as Residential One."

Yesterday's statement said the Trust now accepted this was an error and that the same amount of area is zoned for Residential One in both plans.

The Trust said this was a clerical mix-up but stressed it does not make any difference to its desire for the land swap to be reflected in the new plan.