Bermuda Plan 2005 - Department of Planning

Transcription

Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................. 1
LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................................... 3
LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................................................ 4
1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 5
1.1 THE PURPOSES AND STRUCTURE OF THIS REPORT ............................................................................... 5
1.2 THE NEED FOR A NEW BERMUDA PLAN ............................................................................................... 5
2.0 CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PLANS ............................................................................................... 7
2.1 THE BERMUDA PLAN 1992 .................................................................................................................. 7
2.2 OTHER DEVELOPMENT PLANS ............................................................................................................. 9
2.2.1 City of Hamilton Plan 2001 ........................................................................................................ 9
2.2.2 Development Plan for the Former Military Bases 1996 ............................................................. 9
3.0 PREPARING A NEW PLAN ............................................................................................................. 11
3.1 WORK PROGRAMME FOR THE NEW BERMUDA PLAN .......................................................................... 11
3.2 PREPARATION OF ISSUES PAPERS ....................................................................................................... 11
3.3 OTHER STUDY AREAS ......................................................................................................................... 12
3.3.1 WEDCo ..................................................................................................................................... 12
3.3.2 Southside................................................................................................................................... 12
3.3.3 The Airport................................................................................................................................ 13
3.3.4 Cooper’s Island......................................................................................................................... 14
3.3.5 Town of St. George ................................................................................................................... 14
3.4 PUBLIC CONSULTATION ..................................................................................................................... 14
3.5 SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL .............................................................................................................. 18
3.5.1 Sustainability Impact Assessment ............................................................................................. 18
3.5.2 Sustainability Indicators ........................................................................................................... 19
4.0 KEY ISSUES FACING BERMUDA ................................................................................................. 21
4.1 CURRENT LAND USES ........................................................................................................................ 21
4.2 POPULATION ...................................................................................................................................... 24
4.3 RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................. 27
4.3.1 Existing Housing Stock ............................................................................................................. 27
4.3.2 Residential Development Trends............................................................................................... 27
4.3.3 Housing projections .................................................................................................................. 32
4.3.4 Residential Requirements.......................................................................................................... 35
4.3.5 Residential Land Availability.................................................................................................... 37
4.3.6 Housing Affordability................................................................................................................ 40
4.4 TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................... 43
4.4.1 Trends in the Tourism Industry ................................................................................................. 43
4.4.2 Changes in the Tourism Product............................................................................................... 45
4.4.3 Tourism Land ............................................................................................................................ 46
4.4.4 Tourism Strategy....................................................................................................................... 47
4.5 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................................................. 48
4.5.1 The Economy............................................................................................................................. 48
4.5.2 Commercial development and land availability........................................................................ 50
4.5.3 Industrial development and land availability........................................................................... 51
4.6 INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES ................................................................................................................ 52
4.7 UTILITY SERVICES ............................................................................................................................. 53
4.7.1 Water Supply............................................................................................................................. 53
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4.7.2 Sewage Disposal ....................................................................................................................... 54
4.7.3 Electricity.................................................................................................................................. 54
4.7.4 Telecommunications.................................................................................................................. 54
4.8 TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING ....................................................................................................... 55
4.9 THE HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................ 57
4.9.1 Historic Areas and Listed Buildings ......................................................................................... 57
4.9.2 Sites of Archaeological Significance......................................................................................... 58
4.10 AGRICULTURE.................................................................................................................................. 58
4.11 THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................... 62
4.11.1 Open Space ............................................................................................................................. 62
4.11.2 Nature Reserves and National Parks ...................................................................................... 66
4.11.3 Recreation and Leisure ........................................................................................................... 68
4.11.4 The Coastal and Marine Environment .................................................................................... 70
4.12 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................... 72
4.12.1 Environmental Information..................................................................................................... 72
4.12.2 Woodland and Conservation Management Plans ................................................................... 73
4.12.3 Section 34 agreements ............................................................................................................ 73
4.12.4 Environmental Initiatives ........................................................................................................ 74
4.13 DESIGN AND LANDSCAPING ............................................................................................................. 75
4.13.1 Design ..................................................................................................................................... 75
4.13.2 Landscaping........................................................................................................................... 76
5.0 THE NEW BERMUDA PLAN........................................................................................................... 79
5.1 VISION AND PLANNING STRATEGIES FOR THE NEW BERMUDA PLAN ................................................. 79
5.1.1 The Vision ................................................................................................................................. 79
5.1.2 Planning Strategies ................................................................................................................... 79
5.2 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE NEW BERMUDA PLAN ..................................................................... 86
5.3 STRUCTURE OF THE NEW BERMUDA PLAN ......................................................................................... 91
5.3.1 The new Planning Statement..................................................................................................... 91
5.3.2 The new Zoning Maps ............................................................................................................... 93
5.4 IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND REVIEW.................................................................................. 94
5.4.1 Implementation ......................................................................................................................... 94
5.4.2 Monitoring ................................................................................................................................ 95
5.4.3 Review....................................................................................................................................... 96
6.0 SUMMARY NOTE ............................................................................................................................. 97
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List of Figures
Figure 1: The Bermuda Plan 1992 Development Zonings ............................................................................ 7
Figure 2: The Bermuda Plan Development Zones by Parish......................................................................... 8
Figure 3: The Bermuda Plan 1992 Conservation Areas by Parish ................................................................ 8
Figure 4: Work Programme for the new Bermuda Plan .............................................................................. 11
Figure 5: Other Development Plan and Study Areas, and Proposed Special Study Areas .......................... 13
Figure 6: Aerial Photos of Castle Harbour, Bermuda 1941 and 2003 ......................................................... 21
Figure 7: Government Land Holdings in 2006............................................................................................ 22
Figure 8: Bermuda Land Development Company Areas............................................................................. 23
Figure 9: Land Use in Bermuda 2000/2001 ................................................................................................ 23
Figure 10: Distribution of Land Uses by Parish (Land Use Survey 2000/2001) ......................................... 24
Figure 11: Population Density by Parish ..................................................................................................... 25
Figure 12: Total Population Projections ...................................................................................................... 25
Figure 13: Population Age Structure ........................................................................................................... 26
Figure 14: Number of Planning Applications approved involving Residential Development..................... 28
Figure 15: Number of Residential Land Valuation units............................................................................. 29
Figure 16: Land Valuation Units created 1991 to 2005 by Parish............................................................... 30
Figure 17: Type of Residential Unit completed by Number of Bedrooms .................................................. 30
Figure 18: Trends in Type of Residential Building (Number of Units)....................................................... 31
Figure 19: Household Projections by Age of Head of Household............................................................... 33
Figure 20: Trend in Household Size............................................................................................................ 34
Figure 21: Trend in Household Types ......................................................................................................... 35
Figure 22: Derelict Residential Properties................................................................................................... 36
Figure 23: Residential Valuation Units by Development Zone................................................................... 38
Figure 24: Vacant Land used for Residential Development (in sq. ft) ........................................................ 39
Figure 25: Air and Cruise Visitor Arrivals 1990 to 2006 ............................................................................ 43
Figure 26: Number of Jobs Filled................................................................................................................ 48
Figure 27: Number of Jobs Filled by Employment Sector .......................................................................... 49
Figure 28: Bermuda's Ferries....................................................................................................................... 55
Figure 29: King’s Square, Town of St. George ........................................................................................... 57
Figure 30: Agricultural field in production ................................................................................................. 59
Figure 31: Arable Land and Population....................................................................................................... 59
Figure 32: Land zoned for Agriculture in Development Plans.................................................................... 60
Figure 33: Land zoned for Agriculture by Parish ........................................................................................ 60
Figure 34: Agricultural zoned land used as a lawn...................................................................................... 61
Figure 35: Land use change in Bermuda 1970/1 to 2000/1 ......................................................................... 63
Figure 36: The Bermuda Plan 1992 Development and Conservation Zones............................................... 64
Figure 37: Open Space Lands...................................................................................................................... 65
Figure 38: Cooper's Island........................................................................................................................... 67
Figure 39: House on South Shore, post Hurricane Fabian........................................................................... 70
Figure 40: Bermuda's distinctive white pitched roofs ................................................................................. 75
Figure 41: Landscaping of car park areas.................................................................................................... 77
Figure 42: Existing Urban Centres and Potential Growth Areas ................................................................. 84
Figure 43: Framework for new Bermuda Plan ............................................................................................ 86
Figure 44: Goals and Objectives for the new Bermuda Plan....................................................................... 87
Figure 45: Proposed Arrangement of Sections and Chapters for new Bermuda Plan ................................. 92
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List of Tables
Table 1: List of Issues Papers ...................................................................................................................... 12
Table 2: Methods of Public Consultation .................................................................................................... 15
Table 3: Population Increase ....................................................................................................................... 26
Table 4: Residential Valuation Units by Parish........................................................................................... 27
Table 5: Type of Residential Development ................................................................................................. 31
Table 6: Comparison of Residential Buildings and Number of Units 2006 ................................................ 32
Table 7: Household Projections................................................................................................................... 33
Table 8: Household Projections by Household Size in 2015....................................................................... 34
Table 9: Household Projections by Household Type .................................................................................. 35
Table 10: Comparison of Residential Valuation Units and Households ..................................................... 36
Table 11: Estimates of Residential Land Availability ................................................................................. 40
Table 12: Tourism Accommodation, Nov. 2006 ......................................................................................... 44
Table 13: Other Tourism Accommodations, Nov. 2006.............................................................................. 44
Table 14: Proposed Amendments to the National Parks Act 1986.............................................................. 66
Table 15: Open Space used for Recreational Purposes ............................................................................... 69
Table 16: Proposed new zoning system....................................................................................................... 94
Table 17: List of Sustainable Indicators ...................................................................................................... 96
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1.0 Introduction
1.1 The Purposes and Structure of this Report
The purpose of this report is to provide a broad review and strategy document which
provides the background research and material to the production of a new development
plan for Bermuda. The new Bermuda Plan is being prepared in accordance with the
provisions of Part III of the Development and Planning Act 1974. It will be the fifth
development plan for the Island and will supersede the Bermuda Plan 1992.
The report outlines the work programme and the public consultation programme for the
new Bermuda Plan. All Bermudians have a role to play in shaping the future of their
Island, and input from the general public and stakeholders has been essential to the
preparation of a new plan for Bermuda.
The report describes some key trends in development and land use change in Bermuda
over the last 10 to 14 years using statistics collected from government datasets, as part of
the State of the Environment (SOE) Report 2005, the Draft Sustainable Development
Strategy and Implementation Plan 2005 (SDSIP) and the Report on the 2000 Census of
Population and Housing, and provides some general projections for population and
housing over the next 10 years. It contains some key findings and recommendations
detailed in the sixteen Issues Papers that have been produced as background research to
preparing the new Plan. The Review and Strategy Report will constitute the formal
review of the Bermuda Plan 1992 and the Report of Survey as required by section 9(1)
and section 6(5) of the Development and Planning Act 1974 respectively.
The report also provides a broad review of the main strengths and weaknesses of the
current development plan, the Bermuda Plan 1992 (Planning Statement and zoning
maps), and highlights some policy and zoning recommendations to be incorporated into
the new Plan.
It is proposed that the new Bermuda Plan reflect the principle of sustainable development
by way of a three strategy framework of conservation, development and social
opportunity. The report provides some recommended goals and objectives for the new
Plan as well as some considerations regarding the general structure and presentation of
the new Planning Statement and zoning maps.
1.2 The Need for a new Bermuda Plan
In general terms, despite being nearly 15 years old, the Bermuda Plan 1992 has withstood
the test of time well and continues to be a workable plan. Many of the goals, objectives
and policies in the 1992 Planning Statement are still laudable, and it is intended that a
number of them will be carried forward in the new Planning Statement. However, times
have clearly changed and it is time to take a fresh, in-depth look at Bermuda, the current
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issues and pressures facing the Island, and the vision Bermudians have for its future land
uses.
The Bermuda Government has already made strides in this direction through its recent
production of the Bermuda’s first State of the Environment Report and first Sustainable
Development Strategy and Implementation Plan (SDSIP). Both of these reports provide
valuable background information as well as useful recommendations regarding
environmental, economic and social issues facing the Island now and in the future.
The new Plan will provide guidance and direction for development and growth over the
next 10 years by establishing a decision-making framework for land use and management
of our land resources as they relate to the natural environment, housing, tourism, business
and community facilities, utility services and transportation. Policies that address the
need for strategically located neighbourhoods that provide land to live, work and play
must be coordinated with environmental policies to provide a completeness of decision
making.
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2.0 Current Development Plans
2.1 The Bermuda Plan 1992
The Bermuda Plan 1992 comprises policy and zoning regulations for 89% of Bermuda’s
land mass. The remaining 11% comprises the Former Military Baselands/Airport (1,271
acres) and the City of Hamilton (178 acres) which have separate development plans.
The Bermuda Plan comprises the Planning Statement or policy statement and 74 zoning
maps. The zoning maps comprise development zones, conservation areas and protections
areas, the latter two of which overlay the development zones to create a layered zoning
system. Figure 1 shows how much land is designated within each development zone. As
shown, the residential zones (Residential 1 and 2) collectively comprise 48% or 5,702
acres of land. Figure 2 shows the distribution of development zones by Parish.
1%
3%
Commercial
2%
2%
Government
2%
Industrial
22%
Institutional
Open Space
37%
Rural
Residential 1
Residential 2
26%
5%
Tourism
Note: Figures do not include the former baselands or the City of Hamilton.
Source: The Bermuda Plan 1992, The Department of Planning
Figure 1: The Bermuda Plan 1992 Development Zonings
The Bermuda Plan 1992 conservation zones cover 48% of the land subject to the
Bermuda Plan 1992. Figure 3 shows the distribution of conservation areas by Parish.
The majority of these conservation areas fall within an open space development zone.
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1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
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s
acres
Commercial
Government
Industrial
Institutional
Residential 1
Residential 2
Rural
Tourism
Open Space
Source: The Bermuda Plan 1992, The Department of Planning
Figure 2: The Bermuda Plan Development Zones by Parish
1000
900
acres
800
700
Woodland Reserve
600
Woodland
500
Recreation
400
Nature Reserve
300
National Park
Green Space
200
Agricultural Land
100
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Source: T he Bermuda Plan 1992, T he Department of Planning
Figure 3: The Bermuda Plan 1992 Conservation Areas by Parish
Page 8 of 97
The Bermuda Plan 1992 policies evolved during the late 1980’s and built on what was at
that time the emerging concept of ‘sustainable development’. The principal theme
underlying the Plan was one of conservation and the basic premise on which its land use
strategy was based was that “…sufficient capacity exists within areas already committed
to development to meet estimated needs to the year 2000” (Bermuda 2000 – Facing the
Future, p.7).
As such, the Bermuda Plan 1992’s land use strategy had three basic goals:•
•
•
To conserve open space and promote a high quality environment;
To provide sufficient development potential to meet the community’s needs; and
To encourage a more efficient use and development of land.
A review of the current Bermuda Plan 1992 consists of considering a number of factors
including how up-to-date the plan is, how consistent its policies are with other
government policies, its relationship with other strategies including housing, transport,
tourism, and government initiatives. These factors will be examined in some detail in
Section 4.
2.2 Other Development Plans
As previously indicated, the Bermuda Plan 1992 does not currently cover the entire
Island. It excludes the City of Hamilton which has its own plan, the City of Hamilton
Plan 2001. It also excludes the former baselands of Southside, Morgan’s Point, Tudor
Hill, Daniel’s Head and part of Cooper’s Island which have their own plan, “the
Development Plan for the Former Military Bases 1996” and are under the management of
the Bermuda Land Development Corporation (BLDC). In addition, there are a few sites
designated ‘former military site’ under the Bermuda Plan 1992 zoning maps which do not
have any policies affiliated with them in the 1992 Planning Statement.
2.2.1 City of Hamilton Plan 2001
The City of Hamilton Plan 2001 covers the administrative area that comes under the
control of the Corporation of Hamilton. It has traditionally been treated as a separate
entity for development planning purposes. The principal concept underlying this Plan is
that of sustainable development and its three goals centre around continuing to develop
the City of Hamilton as a vibrant, dynamic and livable capital city, to facilitate the
efficient and safe movement of people and traffic in the City, to protect and enhance the
City’s distinctive character, and to achieve a high standard of design in all new
development. The objectives and policies of the new Bermuda Plan will complement
those of the City of Hamilton Plan.
2.2.2 Development Plan for the Former Military Bases 1996
The Development Plan for the Former Military Bases 1996 (Former Military Base Plan)
operates as a supplement to the 1992 Bermuda Plan covering those areas previously
occupied by foreign military forces. The Former Military Base Plan was approved under
the Development and Planning (Base Lands) Act 1996 which also required that the areas
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covered by the Former Military Base Plan be incorporated into the island-wide
development plan when the 1992 Bermuda Plan came under review.
The Former Military Base Plan was intended to provide a flexible framework to guide the
development of the former bases. Proposals, including preferred land uses, were
identified for each site. These proposals include:•
NAS Bermuda (Southside) - The focus at this site is on industrial and commercial
development and on integrating the land and facilities into the St. David’s
community. Residential development at the site is not identified as a preferred
use. Much of the land on the former base that had been used for residential
purposes was set aside as land bank.
•
NAS Annex (Morgan’s Point) - The preferred land use at this site is tourism
which could include a golf course. Residential development is also identified as a
preferred use in association with the tourism use.
•
Tudor Hill - The preferred uses at this site are tourism or residential. The
residential would take the form of medium/large lot-size housing development.
•
CFS Bermuda (Daniel’s Head) - This site is allocated for tourism use and has
been developed for this purpose.
It is anticipated that the new Bermuda Plan will provide the new statutory framework for
the former baselands, and as such the Development Plan for the Former Military Bases
1996, will be revoked. The new Bermuda Plan will include detailed zoning and policies
for the Southside area and Daniel’s Head and will provide the statutory planning
framework for Morgan’s Point and Tudor Hill by way of broad zonings and policies.
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3.0 Preparing a new Plan
3.1 Work Programme for the new Bermuda Plan
Figure 4 outlines the key milestones in the work programme for the preparation of the
new Bermuda Plan.
Figure 4: Work Programme for the new Bermuda Plan
3.2 Preparation of Issues Papers
Internal departmental Issues Papers have been prepared as background material to the
production of new and revised policies and zonings for the new Bermuda Plan. The
Issues Papers cover a variety of topics and policy issues (see Table 1). Each Issues Paper
looks in detail at the specific topic, particularly as it relates to current planning policy,
relevant government initiatives, and key issues and trends over the 1992 Plan period.
Land use surveys, site analysis work, evaluation of rezoning requests and input from the
public and key stakeholders form the research component to the Issues Papers. The
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Issues Papers explore alternative, and set out preferred, policy and zoning options. They
provide the rationale or ‘evidence base’ for amendments to existing policies and zonings
or the addition of new policies and zonings in the new Plan, and will be used as the
Department of Planning’s reference material at the Objections Tribunal.
Topic/Land Use Issues
• Natural Environment and Open
Space
• Agriculture
• National Parks and Nature
Reserves
• Historic Environment
• Coastal and Marine
Environment
• Recreation and Leisure
• Subdivision of Land
• Residential Development
• Tourism
• Commercial
• Industrial and Quarries
• Institutional Uses
Policy Issues
• Built Environment and
Design
• Landscaping
• Utilities
Area based Issues
• Town of St. George
Table 1: List of Issues Papers
3.3 Other study areas
Other areas for which independent studies have been prepared include Dockyard and the
WEDCo lands, Southside, the Airport, Cooper’s Island, and the Town of St. George. The
recommendations of these studies will be taken into consideration in preparation of the
policies and zonings for the new Plan.
3.3.1 WEDCo
The West End Development Corporation (WEDCo) has revisited its Draft 2020 Plan for
the West End and its planning consultant has worked closely with the Department of
Planning to prepare appropriate planning zonings and policies to reflect the new vision
for the area. One objective is to revitalize Dockyard as a place to live, play and work,
and as a major visitor attraction, while preserving the area’s distinctive historic fabric.
Another objective is to establish more residential communities in other parts of the West
End.
3.3.2 Southside
The Department of Planning has worked closely with the Bermuda Land Development
Corporation regarding its master plan for the Southside area, and the new land use
zonings and policies for Southside will be included in the new Bermuda Plan. The
proposals for the Southside area focus on building an entire community with an
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appropriate mix of residential, commercial and industrial development, open space and
recreational areas to complement the neighbouring areas of St. David’s.
3.3.3 The Airport
The Airport was run by the U.S. military from the 1940s until 1995 when the U.S.
military withdrew from Bermuda and the Airport became a civil airport. The Airport is
owned and operated by the Bermuda Government’s Department of Airport Operations
and is subject to the standards and regulations of the International Civil Aviation
Authority (ICAO). These standards, which address issues of land use and building height
in areas along the flight approach to the Airport and in lands adjacent to the Airport, were
not addressed in the 1992 Bermuda Plan as the Airport was still run by the U.S. military
at this time.
The Department of Airport Operations (DAO) has prepared a Draft Master Plan for the
Airport. The Draft Master Plan includes the construction of a new terminal and additions
to the Airport’s land holdings. The Department of Planning has worked with the
Departments of Airport Operations and Civil Aviation in preparing land use zonings and
regulations related to the Airport.
Figure 5: Other Development Plan and Study Areas, and Proposed Special Study Areas
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3.3.4 Cooper’s Island
In March 2005, the Ministry of the Environment prepared a Draft Cooper’s Island Land
Use and Management Proposals Plan which recommended the designation of the
Cooper’s Island area in part as Nature Reserve and in part as National Park. This
received resounding support from the general public. The plan is in the process of being
finalized.
3.3.5 Town of St. George
The Department of Planning has worked closely with the Corporation of St. George’s in
preparing an area based Issues Paper highlighting the main planning issues for the Town
of St. George (see Historic Environment section).
3.4 Public Consultation
Effective and meaningful community and stakeholder participation is a high priority in
preparing a new development plan and the formulation of future planning policy for the
Island. Stakeholders and the general public have a large contribution to make with regard
to bringing different expertise and ideas, resolving issues at the outset, and potentially
reducing the number of objections to the new Plan and the length of the Objections
Tribunal process. Joint working achieves better quality outcomes and fosters ownership
of the development plan. The Department of Planning has used a number of methods in
the public consultation process in preparing the Draft Bermuda Plan (See Table 2).
Additional public consultation will take place once the Draft Plan is published and the
public will be invited to make formal objections.
Written public consultation with key stakeholders was initiated in March 1999 when a
letter was sent to over a hundred key stakeholders (see Table 3) inviting them to give
comments on how successful or otherwise the Bermuda Plan 1992 was in
accommodating development needs and/or protecting the environment and what are
considered to be the main planning, development and environmental issues facing the
Island. A public consultation database was established to record comments from key
stakeholders regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the Bermuda Plan 1992. This
database has been kept on-going for the past 7+ years and includes some 200+ policy
comments and rezoning requests from stakeholders, government technical officers and
the general public.
The second main round of public consultation has been conducted by the Department of
Planning during 2005/6 as part of the process of preparing Issues Papers for the new Plan
(see Table 4). Focused consultations have been conducted through meetings, site visits,
interviews, workshops and questionnaire surveys to establish aspirations with regard to
future growth and development, and conservation.
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Method of public consultation
Letters sent to statutory bodies and
key stakeholders
Description
•
•
•
Questionnaire surveys
•
Focus Groups/One to one meetings
with key stakeholders
•
•
Site meetings with statutory bodies
•
Public Meetings
Documents, leaftles and other
information available to public
Departmental documents
Internet
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Media (local press, TV, radio)
Public Exhibition/Displays
Formal written consultation
•
•
•
Public Inquiries
•
Letters sent to over 34 government departments
and 80 non-governmental organisations as first
round of public consultation in 1999 (see Table 3)
Direct contact made with 20 government
departments and 34 non-governmental
organizations as part of Issues Papers preparation
in 2005/6
Sustainable Development Project household
surveys
Department of Planning Issues Paper
questionnaires
Sustainable Development Project meetings with
key stakeholder groups (2005 and 2006)
Department of Planning meetings with statutory
organisations and key stakeholder groups (2006)
(see Table 4)
Numerous on site meetings with Conservation
Officer and Agricultural Officer to evaluate
zonings of conservation lands
Sustainable Development Project (2005 and 2006)
Rezoning Request Guidance Note (Jan. 2006)
Review and Strategy Report (2007/8)
Issues Papers (2005/6)
Web access to Bermuda Plan 1992 zoning maps –
completed Nov. 2007
Web access to new Draft Plan – 2008
Web access/email address to comment on/object to
new Bermuda Plan policies and zonings – 2008
Public notice to launch new Draft Plan (2008)
Public exhibition to launch new Draft Plan (2008)
Two month (minimum) public consultation period
during which the public may submit objections to
the new Draft Plan (2008)
Objections Tribunal to resolve all outstanding
objections to the new Draft Plan at public
inquiries/hearings (2008/9)
Table 2: Methods of Public Consultation
One key element of public consultation process has also been the collation of pertinent
information collected as part of the Government’s Sustainable Development Project
(SDP). The comprehensive public consultation exercise and key objectives and action
points arising from the Government’s Sustainable Development Project which was
launched in January 2005 has helped to give direction with regard to the wider vision for
the Island’s future development and background material to the strategies and objectives
for the new Bermuda Plan.
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Government Consultees
Non- Government Consultees
Accountant General Department
Archives Department
Attorney General’s Chambers
Audit Department
Bermuda College
Bermuda Housing Corporation
Bermuda Regiment
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Department of Child and Family Services
Department of Civil Aviation
Department of Community and Cultural Affairs
Department of Computer Systems and Services
Department of Customs
Department of Education
Department of Environmental Health
Department of Finance
Department of Financial Assistance
Department of Health and Social Services
Department of Human Affairs
Department of Immigration
Department of Labour and Training
Department of Land Valuation
Department of Marine and Ports
Department of Statistics
Department of Tourism
Department of Works and Engineering
Department of Youth, Parks and Sports
General Post Office
Hamilton Fire Station
Health and Family Services
Ministry of Transport
Public Transportation Board
Registrar of Companies
Transport Control Department
Architects, Planning and Surveying firms (65)
Bermuda Association of Professional Engineers
Bermuda Association of Surveyors
Bermuda Audubon Society
Bermuda Bar Association
Bermuda Electric Light Company
Bermuda Land Development Corporation
Bermuda National Trust
Chamber of Commerce
Corporation of Hamilton
Corporation of St. George’s
Human Nature
Institute of Bermuda Architects
Jones Waddington Ltd
Save Open Spaces
West End Development Company
Table 3: List of Consultees 1999
The Government’s Sustainable Development Unit undertook one of the most extensive
public consultation exercises ever conducted in Bermuda. Views of all Bermudians,
young, old, rich and poor were sought in order to stimulate a national debate about
sustainable development in Bermuda. The public were invited to identify major
challenges facing Bermuda’s long-term sustainability and to offer solutions to these
challenges. The SDP consultation exercise included public meetings; meetings with
special interest groups, societies, organizations and outreach meetings; over 240 one-onone interviews with the members of the public; sending a consultation document and
questionnaire to every household in Bermuda; a random telephone survey administered to
401 residents; and public notices.
Page 16 of 97
Government consultees
Non-Government consultees
Bermuda Land Development Company
Department of Airport Operations
Department of Conservation Services
Department of Cultural Affairs
Department of Education
Department of Environmental Protection
Department of Health
Department of Land Valuation
Department of Parks
Department of Statistics
Department of Youth, Sport & Recreation
Historic Buildings Advisory Committee
Ministry of Tourism and Transport
Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing –
Highways, Water Section, Waste Management,
Quarry, Workshop and Stores
Small Business Development Corporation
St. George’s Preservation Authority
Sustainable Development Unit
West End Development Corporation
Barritt John & Son
Bermuda Association of Surveyors
Bermuda Audubon Society
Bermuda Caribbean Engineering
Bermuda Chamber of Commerce
Bermuda Construction Association
Bermuda Electric Light Company
Bermuda Hospitals Board
Bermuda Maritime Museum
Bermuda National Trust
Bermuda Telephone Company
Chamber of Commerce
Coldwell Banker
Corporation of Hamilton
Corporation of St. George's
Crisson & Company Ltd. Real Estate
Cumberbatch Slate
East End Asphalt Co
ESSO Bermuda
Horsfield Property Services
Hunt’s Sanitation
Institute of Bermuda Architects
Island Construction
J.W. Bermuda Realty
Joy Lusher
Kitson & Co. Ltd.
North Village Community Club
Rego Realty
S.A.L. Bermuda
St. George’s Foundation
St. George’s Preservation Authority
The Property Group Ltd.
W.J. Seymour Real Estate Ltd.
Watlington Water Works
World Heritage Site Management Committee
Table 4: List of Consultees 2005/2006
The public consultation exercise addressed many land-use related issues and a number of
key organizations with an interest in land use planning were consulted. They included:•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Bermuda Association of Surveyors
The Institute of Bermuda Architects
The Association of Professional Engineers
The Bermuda Association of Landscape Architects
The Development Applications Board
The Agricultural Board
The Building Materials Committee
The Construction Association of Bermuda
The Committee for the National Policy on Disabilities
Page 17 of 97
The Department of Planning has been working closely with the Sustainable Development
Unit to ensure that the public input into the Sustainable Development Strategy and
Implementation Plan (SDSIP) is carried forward into the preparation of the new Bermuda
Plan.
In addition, the Department of Planning has invited local stakeholders and the public to
supply input with respect to any recommended policy changes or requests to change the
designation or zoning of specific pieces of land. In January 2006, the Department of
Planning published a “Rezoning Request Guidance Note” to help guide the public about
the rezoning request process including a list of information to be submitted as part of any
rezoning request. All rezoning requests have been logged into a database, acknowledged
in writing, filed according to type of zoning and location of site and reviewed by
technical officers as part of the preparation of Issues Papers. Some 127 rezoning requests
have been received, reviewed and evaluated, 96 from private property owners, 23 from
the Bermuda National Trust and 8 from the Bermuda Audubon Society. This rezoning
request process has enabled the general public and organizations to raise zoning issues in
the course of preparing the new zones for the Island thereby potentially reducing the
number of public objections and the length of the Objections Tribunal.
The Minister by notice in the official gazette may declare a draft Bermuda Plan as the
operative development plan. To launch the release of the new (Draft) Plan), the
Department of Planning will hold a public exhibition comprising display boards
summarizing the key objectives and policies of the new Plan. The public will be able to
view the new Planning Statement (policies) and the new land use zonings at the
exhibition, as well as at the Department of Planning offices, and on-line via a purpose
built web-site.
There will be a statutory two month ‘public consultation’ period during which the public
will be able to submit comments and objections to the new (Draft) Plan. Public
consultation/objection forms will be available for the public to complete and send into the
Department of Planning for review and resolution by technical officers. The Minister of
the Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce (the Minister) will appoint a
Tribunal to review and resolve all unresolved public objections, and the Tribunal will
produce a Tribunal report detailing its recommendations which will go to the House of
Assembly with amendments to the new (Draft) Plan. Once approved by the House and
the Legislature, the Final Plan and Tribunal Report will be published (see Figure 1).
3.5 Sustainability Appraisal
3.5.1 Sustainability Impact Assessment
The requirement for a ‘sustainability appraisal’ during the preparation of development
plans was introduced in the UK in 2004 as part of its new planning system, at the centre
of which is the concept of ‘sustainable development’. It has also been recommended in
Bermuda’s Draft Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan (June
2006) that a “Sustainability Impact Assessment” (Option 2.1.A.4) be undertaken to aid
Page 18 of 97
co-ordinated government policy making and to ensure that future policies reinforce
sustainable development principles.
It is proposed that an appraisal of the new Bermuda Plan will be conducted in
consultation with the Government Sustainable Development Unit, and that a
Sustainability Impact Assessment form will be used as a checklist to assess the extent to
which the new Plan meets the principles and objectives of sustainable development.
3.5.2 Sustainability Indicators
In addition, it is recommended that a list of sustainability indicators be formulated against
which the new Bermuda Plan will be monitored and assessed over time to evaluate the
effectiveness of its policies and zonings (see section 5.4 of this report). These
sustainability indicators will be established in consultation with the Sustainable
Development Unit and the Department of Statistics.
Page 19 of 97
Page 20 of 97
4.0 Key Issues facing Bermuda
4.1 Current Land Uses
Bermuda’s economic success has resulted in increasing development pressure on its
limited land resources particularly on those areas that are not yet developed. Set against
this trend is the desire to retain sufficient open space to provide for the psychological
well-being of residents, to preserve the amenity of the Island and to conserve its
biodiversity. The land use planning system in Bermuda tries to achieve a balance
between the competing forces of development and conservation needs to ensure that land
resources are used efficiently and to ensure that valued open spaces are protected.
Bermuda’s total land resources comprise only 13,200 acres (5,370 hectares). While there
are proposals for land reclamation in certain parts of the Island, for instance along the
City of Hamilton’s waterfront, there has been no significant increase in Bermuda’s land
mass since the 1940s when some 760 acres of land was reclaimed from Castle Harbour to
create the Island’s only airport (then the US Naval Air Station) and some 29 acres were
reclaimed at Morgan’s Point to connect Morgan’s Island and Tucker’s Island to the
mainland to form the NAS Annex. The 1941 and 2003 aerial photographs in Figure 6
below show the extent of the area of reclaimed land at Castle Harbour.
Figure 6: Aerial Photos of Castle Harbour, Bermuda 1941 and 2003
Source: The Ministry of Works and Engineering
Over 30% of Bermuda’s land is owned by the Bermuda Government either directly or
through various quangos (the Bermuda Land Development Company, the West End
Development Corporation and the Bermuda Housing Corporation) as shown in Figure 7.
As the Island’s main landowner, the Government has the opportunity to not only
influence the socio-economic and environmental issues facing Bermuda through
legislation, policies and regulations but also through the use of its lands.
The new land title registration system will provide much more information about land
ownership in Bermuda in the future.
Page 21 of 97
Figure 7: Government Land Holdings in 2006
Between the 1940s to the mid 1990s, approximately 10% of the Island was occupied by
the United States and Canadian military bases, approximately half of which now
comprises the Bermuda International Airport. Approximately 260 acres (37%) of the
total land area (718 acres) previously occupied by the former military bases, and now
under the management of the Bermuda Land Development Company, remains
unoccupied. Morgan’s Point comprises approximately 237 acres and Tudor Hill
comprises approximately 26 acres of vacant and developable land (see Figure 8). These
large tracts of land are likely to be identified in the new Bermuda Plan as ‘areas under
review’ or ‘special study areas’ and may be the subject of more detailed local plans at a
later date.
According to the Department of Planning’s Land Use Survey 2000/2001, approximately
two thirds of Bermuda’s land uses comprise some form of built development with
approximately 45% (or nearly 6,000 acres) of the Island comprising residential
development (see Figure 5). One third of Bermuda’s land can be categorized as open
space which includes natural areas such as woodland and marshes, golf courses, parks, as
well as areas in recreational use and land in cultivation. Figure 9 shows the distribution
of these land uses across the Parishes.
Page 22 of 97
Figure 8: Bermuda Land Development Company Areas
2%
2%
5%
6%
4%
Commercial
3%
Industrial
Institutional
Open Space
33%
Residential
Tourism
Utilities
45%
Vacant/Derelict
Figure 9: Land Use in Bermuda 2000/2001
Page 23 of 97
Vacant/derelict
St.G.
Utilities
T ourism
HM
Residential
SM
Open Space
Institutional
DV
Parish
Industrial
Commercial
PM
PG
WR
SN
SY
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
acres
Figure 10: Distribution of Land Uses by Parish (Land Use Survey 2000/2001)
4.2 Population
Bermuda has a resident population of 62,059 (2000 Census) and a population density of
2,992 people per square mile. The Island saw a population increase of 6% between 1991
and 2000. Pembroke Parish is the most densely populated parish with 5,358 persons per
square mile and St. George’s is the least densely populated parish with 1,394 persons per
square miles (see Figure 11).
Page 24 of 97
6,000
5,000
4,000
1991
3,000
2000
2,000
Bermuda
St. George's
Hamilton
Smith's
Devonshire
Paget
Sandys
Southampton
Warwick
0
Pembroke
1,000
Figure 11: Population Density by Parish
The Department of Statistics has prepared mid-year population projections (March 2006)
up to the time horizon of the new Plan (2015) and beyond (up to 2030). These
projections were prepared taking account of the differing fertility, mortality and
migration patterns of Bermudian and non-Bermudian populations.
It is estimated that Bermuda’s population will reach 65,245 by the year 2015 and 65,447
by the year 2030 (see Figure 12).
66,000
65,000
64,000
63,000
62,000
Total population
Year
Source: Mid- Year Population Projectsion, 1st July 2000 to 1st July 2030, Department of Statistics
Figure 12: Total Population Projections
Table 3 shows the rate of population change from the beginning of the current Plan
period and over the 10-year life of the new Plan. This shows the population of Bermuda
increasing but at a slowing pace over the next 10 years.
Page 25 of 97
2030
2028
2026
2024
2022
2020
2018
2016
2014
2012
2010
2008
2006
2004
2002
60,000
2000
61,000
Year
1991
2000
2005 (est.)
2010 (proj.)
2015 (proj.)
Population
58,460
62,059
63,571
64,566
65,245
% Increase
6
2
2
1
Source: Department of Statistics
Table 3: Population Increase
The population projections indicate the trend towards an aging population. Falling
fertility rates and increased life expectancy mean that by 2015 the proportion of the
population over the age of 45 will have increased from 35% to 45% since 2000 (see
Figure 13). The population projections also indicate a trend towards a decrease in the
workforce demographic and a decrease in the number of young persons expected to join
the workforce. This may lead to an increase in the number of non-Bermudians required
to fill gaps in the workforce.
20000
18000
16000
14000
#
12000
2000
10000
2015
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
0-14
15-29
30-44
45-64
Age
Figure 13: Population Age Structure
Page 26 of 97
65+
4.3 Residential Development
4.3.1 Existing Housing Stock
Residential uses occupy the largest extent of land in Bermuda consuming almost 45% of
the Island’s land (see Figure 9, Land Use Survey 2000/2001).
In 2000, there were a total of 25,148 private occupied dwelling units in Bermuda (Census
2000) of which 385 were group dwellings. According to Department of Land Valuation
data, the total habitable housing stock in Bermuda in 2005 stood at 29,174 dwelling units.
Since 1991, it is estimated that Bermuda’s population increased by about 9% while the
number of households grew by nearly 17%. Table 4 provides a comparison of the
residential valuation units from 1990 and 2005 by Parish.
Parish
1990
2005
Difference
Sandys
Southampton
Warwick
Paget
Pembroke (including City of
Hamilton)
Devonshire
Smith’s
Hamilton Parish
St. George’s (including Town
of St. George)
Total
2,662
2,428
3,539
2,213
5,285
3,165
2,877
4,054
2,575
5,599
503
449
515
362
314
% Change
1990-2005
19
18
15
16
6
2,920
2,243
2,038
2,161
3,201
2,669
2,473
2,561
281
426
435
400
10
19
21
19
25,489
29,174
3,685
14
Source: Department of Land Valuation
Table 4: Residential Valuation Units by Parish
4.3.2 Residential Development Trends
As reported in a Bermuda Housing Corporation report entitled “Monitoring Housing in
Bermuda” (December 2000), Bermuda’s housing stock reflects the physical, political,
social and economic factors that have influenced the Island over the course of time. The
fact that Bermuda is an island means that its housing market is geographically self
contained and there is no ‘overflow’ of housing to neighbouring areas as in many other
countries. Bermuda’s history of building traditions and land use regulations have helped
to maintain the ‘Bermuda Image’ and low rise, low density character of the Island’s
residential areas.
One major influence on the Bermuda’s housing market has been the Island’s strong
economy and in particular the growing importance of international business. This has led
to increased demand for housing and increases in house prices and rents. Demographic
changes and smaller household sizes have also contributed to changes in the housing
market. Construction costs are high as most of the building materials need to be
imported.
Page 27 of 97
The construction boom of the 1980s, during which an average of 500 new residential
units were built annually led to a recession in the early 1990s with an average of 265 new
residential units being built annually over this decade. Since 2000 the rate of
construction has begun to increase as demand for housing, fuelled by a strong economy
and historically low interest rates, has increased.
The majority of development that takes place in Bermuda is related to residential
development in some way, from extensions to existing homesteads to multi-unit
condominium developments. In the last 11 years (1995 to 2005), the Department of
Planning has received a total of 11,876 planning applications, 6,368 (54%) of which were
for the construction of residential development (from bathroom additions to entirely new
units). Of the residential planning applications received, 4,076 or 34% of all planning
applications proposed the development of new dwelling units. Of these 4,076 planning
applications received proposing the development of new dwelling units, 3,560 planning
applications were granted final approval, an average of 324 planning approvals each year,
many of which were for multiple new dwelling units (see Figure 14).
1200
Total PAs
granted Final
Approval
1000
800
600
PAs granted Final
Approval for
Residential
400
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
0
1995
200
PAs granted Final
Approval for
Dwelling Units
Source: Department of Planning
Figure 14: Number of Planning Applications approved involving Residential Development
The Department of Land Valuation data indicates that 3,524 new residential valuation
units have been created since 1993, an average of 271 new residential valuation units
created each year since 1993 (see Figure 15).
Page 28 of 97
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
No. of
residential
valuation units
created
1993
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Figure 15: Number of Residential Land Valuation units
Figure 16 below shows the distribution of dwelling units throughout the Parishes based
on the 2005 Valuation list (shown in blue) and the number of completed units between
1991 to 2005 (shown in yellow). Relatively more dwellings were constructed in the most
densely populated parishes of Warwick and Pembroke with the remainder being spread
fairly evenly across the other Parishes.
This data appears to show that the number of residential units granted final planning
permission each year is notably greater than the number of new residential units
built/residential valuation units created, indicating that there is a significant latent supply
of housing in Bermuda in the form of yet-to-be activated planning approvals for new
residential units.
According to the 2000 Census, the average household size fell from 2.61 persons in 1991
to 2.47 persons in 2000 with the number of one-person households growing by 23% over
that same period. The trend towards smaller household sizes has resulted in a steady
demand for smaller residential units. This is reflected in the Department of Planning’s
housing completions data over the 1992 Bermuda Plan period which shows that 34% of
new residential units built between 1993 and 2005 were one bedroom units and 30% were
two bedroom units (see Figure 17). Given the expected trends in household types (see
section 4.3.3) together with affordability issues, it is anticipated that while the two
bedroom unit is likely to remain popular there could be even more emphasis on the
provision of smaller units.
Page 29 of 97
6000
474
5000
525
4000
418
324
393
3000
375
298
414
291
2000
1000
0
Sa
So
Pa
Wa
Pe
De
Ha
Sm
St. G
Figure 16: Land Valuation Units created 1991 to 2005 by Parish
2%
12%
22%
Studio
1
2
34%
3
4+
30%
Figure 17: Type of Residential Unit completed by Number of Bedrooms
Of the dwelling units constructed since 1991, 44% were the result of additions to or
conversions of existing buildings while 33% were in new detached houses. The
remainder comprised apartment buildings or condominium developments on previously
vacant land (see Table 5).
Page 30 of 97
1991-1995
1996-2000
2001-2005
Total %
Detached
Houses
324
401
463
1,188 (33%)
Apartment
Buildings/Condos
383
124
279
786 (22%)
Additions &
Conversions
635
402
542
1,579 (44%)
Total
1,342
927
1,284
3,553
Table 5: Type of Residential Development
45
40
35
30
1980
25
%
1991
20
2000
15
10
5
0
Single dwelling
2 units
3 or more units Other/not stated
Figure 18: Trends in Type of Residential Building (Number of Units)
A more recent phenomenon has been the construction of residential units on land zoned
for tourism development (see section 4.4). The challenges that the tourism industry has
faced over the last decade has resulted in many hotel properties either converting hotel
properties to residential use or supplementing existing hotel operations with
condominium development. Condominium developments are sold into the local or
overseas market for permanent occupation or as fractional units which are directed almost
exclusively at the overseas second home market. The fractional units do not receive
assessment numbers from the Department of Land Valuation. The residential units add to
the stock of local housing and qualify for assessment numbers, and according to
Department of Land Valuation records, there are currently about 130 of these units on
land zoned Tourism.
Figure 18 compares data from the 1980, 1991 and 2000 Censuses on the type of
residential building that households occupied, and clearly shows that the proportion of
Page 31 of 97
the housing stock consisting of single dwellings has fallen significantly in favour of more
intensive forms of residential development.
Nevertheless, the vast majority (80%) of residential buildings contain one or two
dwelling units. Table 6 below provides a breakdown of the 2006 valuation list showing
the number of dwellings units contained within each residential building. Entrenched
attitudes to traditional forms of house-building and deep-seated cultural acceptance of the
need to develop the family lot have resulted in extensive residential development
throughout the Island.
No. of Dwelling
Units
1
2
3–5
6+
Total
Residential
Buildings
7,414
5,217
2,748
239
15,618
%
Dwelling Units
%
47
33
18
2
100
7,414
10,434
9,377
2,048
29,273
25
36
32
7
100
Table 6: Comparison of Residential Buildings and Number of Units 2006
4.3.3 Housing projections
The principal determinant of future residential land requirements is the underlying rate of
population growth. In addition, socio-economic changes in the make-up of the
Bermudian population will continue to have a major effect on the demand for different
types of housing.
Consultants working on behalf of the Department of Planning were commissioned to
undertake household projections up to the year 2015 as a first step in determining the
housing land requirements over the next plan period. The results, shown in Table 7
below, indicate that the rate of household formation continues to outstrip the underlying
rate of population growth. However, the pace of household formation is likely to slow
during the next Plan period. In association with this, the average household size has
continued to decline and is forecast to decline further by 2015 to 2.32 persons per
household.
Page 32 of 97
Population
% increase
Total number of
Households
% increase
No. of households in
group dwellings
No. of households in
private dwellings
Household size
1991
2000
2005 (est.)
2010 (proj.)
2015 (proj.)
58,460
62,059
6.2
25,148
63,571
2.4
26,300
64,566
1.6
27,277
65,245
1.1
28,092
12.1
4.6
414
3.7
430
3.0
442
22,061
24,763
25,886
26,847
27,650
2.61
2.47
2.42
2.37
2.32
22,430
Source: Department of Statistics and Department of Planning
Table 7: Household Projections
When households in group dwellings are deducted from the total number of households,
the remainder is the number of households in private dwellings. Consequently, it is
projected that by 2015 there are likely to be 27,650 households in private dwellings. This
represents an increase over the 2000 Census figure of 2,887 households or about 12%
growth.
65+
50 - 64
2015
40 - 49
2000
1991
30 - 39
Under 30
0
10
20
30
40
Figure 19: Household Projections by Age of Head of Household
Page 33 of 97
Figure 19 shows the aging profile of Bermuda’s population structure with 55% of
households likely to be headed by a person over the age of 50 and nearly a quarter over
the age of 65 by 2015.
To estimate the size and type of households in 2015, the trends indicated in the 1991 and
2000 Census data were extrapolated into the future. While it is unlikely that these trends
will continue in such a linear manner, the method nevertheless provides an approximation
of the make-up of households at the target date. On this basis, the distribution of
households by size of household in 2015 is shown in Table 8. The trend towards
increasingly smaller household sizes is shown in Figure 20.
No. of Persons
1
2
3
4
5+
Total
No. of Households
9,047
9,056
4,750
3,440
1,799
28,092
%
32
32
17
12
6
100*
Source: Department of Statistics and Department of Planning *Note: Does not total 100 due to rounding.
Table 8: Household Projections by Household Size in 2015
35
30
25
1991
20
2000
15
2015
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5+
Figure 20: Trend in Household Size
Similarly, the estimated distribution of households by type of household in 2015 is shown
in Table 9 and the trend towards more one person households is shown in Figure 21.
Page 34 of 97
Household Type
2 Parents
1 Parent
Adult Couple
Extended Family
1 Person
Other
Total
No. of Households
6,188
2,950
6,110
2,843
8,791
1,210
28,092
%
22
11
22
10
31
4
100
Source: The Department of Planning
Table 9: Household Projections by Household Type
35.0
30.0
25.0
1991
20.0
2000
15.0
2015
10.0
5.0
0.0
2 Parents
1 Parent
Adult
Couple
Extended
Family
1 Person
Other
Figure 21: Trend in Household Types
4.3.4 Residential Requirements
One peculiarity of the housing supply data in Bermuda is that there has consistently been
a significant mismatch between the number of households as identified in Census returns
and the number of residential valuation units recorded by the Department of Land
Valuation, the latter of which equates to the total number of dwelling units available on
the Island. Table 10 shows the mismatch and compares the total Residential Land
Valuation Units (RVUs) against the number of households occupying private dwellings.
The difference between the number of RVUs and the number of households can be
variously interpreted as a vacancy rate or a housing surplus. Either way it appears that a
significant portion (13%) of the housing stock in Bermuda does not actually reach the
market. There may be a variety of reasons for this. Property-owners may create an
additional apartment only to register another vehicle or may have an existing apartment
but decide to leave it vacant. Alternatively, a property with an apartment may be owned
by a non-Bermudian who is not permitted to rent it. In addition, there are an estimated
Page 35 of 97
279 derelict residential properties around the Island and, though vacant, many of them
have one or more residential assessment numbers (see Figure 22).
1991
Residential Valuation
25,754
Units
Households
22,061
Difference
3,693
Difference (%)
14.3
Surplus (%)
16.7
Source: Departments of Land Valuation and Statistics
2000
27,584
2005
29,114
24,763
2,821
10.2
11.4
25,886 (est.)
3,228
11.1
12.5
Table 10: Comparison of Residential Valuation Units and Households
These residential properties could be used to supplement housing supply by the
implementation of other government policies aimed at encouraging the release of existing
vacant units. Nevertheless, for the purposes of estimating further residential
requirements, it will be assumed that the vacancy rate will stay constant and that new
residential construction over the Plan period should aim to meet the estimated rate of
household formation over the period. As such, the household projections indicate that a
further 1,764 dwelling units will be required to meet local housing need over the next
plan period from 2006 to 2015.
70
60
50
No. of derelict residential
buildings 2005
40
30
20
No. of RVUs within
derelict residential
buildings 2006
St. George
Town of St. George
Hamilton
Smiths
Devonshire
Pembroke
Paget
Warwick
Southampton
Sandys
0
City of Hamilton
10
Figure 22: Derelict Residential Properties
Source: Department of Environmental Health
Page 36 of 97
4.3.5 Residential Land Availability
In Bermuda, development plans are concerned with ensuring that there is adequate land
supply to accommodate different land use requirements over the plan period. The
Bermuda Plan 1992 residential zonings and policies were designed to achieve four main
objectives:o To allocate sufficient land to meet housing needs, with new residential
development primarily directed to sites within existing developed areas;
o To optimise the use of housing land by encouraging clustered forms of
development;
o To encourage the development of a range of housing types to meet different
housing needs; and
o To maintain high standards of design in residential development and living
accommodation.
As with previous development plans, the Bermuda Plan 1992 relies heavily on the market
to deliver these policy objectives, and as such the achievement of the plan’s policy
objectives can be somewhat unpredictable.
The Bermuda Plan 1992 designates 5,702 acres of land or almost half the Island as
Residential 1 (medium/high density) and Residential 2 (low density). In addition, a Rural
zoning allows some very limited residential development. These residential zonings are a
simplification of the previous 1983 Bermuda Plan which had five different residential
zoning categories.
It is estimated that 91% of all existing residential valuation units are located within a
Residential Zone, 78% within Residential 1 zoning and 22% within Residential 2 zoning.
Of the 3,524 new residential valuation units created since 1993, 68% were on land
located within a Residential 1 zone, 19% within a Residential 2 zone, 3% within a
Tourism zone, 2% within a Rural zone, 5% within a variety of other zones as designated
under the Bermuda Plan 1992 and 3% within the City of Hamilton (which has a separate
development plan, the City of Hamilton Plan 2001) as shown in Figure 23.
In 1991, the Department of Planning’s “Bermuda 2000 Facing the Future” report
estimated that 783 acres (317 hectares) of vacant land was available within the main
development areas to accommodate residential development. It is estimated that since
1991, 404 acres (163 hectares) of this land has been used to build new residential units,
averaging 27 acres each year (see Figure 24). Consequently, over half of this available
land has already been consumed by residential development.
Analysis of Department of Land Valuation data has also shown that the average existing
dwelling density on land zoned Residential 1 or 2 is about 5 units per acre. At this
density the land-take required to accommodate the housing requirement of 1,764
dwellings to 2015 would be approximately 353 acres.
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With existing development patterns, the anticipated rate of residential development over
the next ten years is likely to result in the exhaustion of nearly of all previously identified
land resources available for residential development. Given that 30% of the land
identified in 1991 was subject to various environmental constraints, the development of
these resources would also be likely to have an impact in terms of the loss of
environmental quality.
Area Under Review
Commercial
Industrial
Open Space
Residential 1
Residential 2
Rural
Tourism
Other
Residential 2
19%
Rural
2%
Tourism
3%
Other
3%
Open Space
2%
Residential 1
69%
Area Under
Review
2%
Commercial
0%
Industrial
0%
Source: Departments of Land Valuation and Planning
Figure 23: Residential Valuation Units by Development Zone
Residential development that has taken place over the Bermuda Plan 1992 period has
generally been at a lower density than the maximum provisions permitted in the Plan.
For instance, according to the Bermuda Plan 1992 provisions, the permitted density
within a Residential 1 zone is 6 houses per acre for detached houses, 12 units per acre for
attached houses and 20 units per acre for apartment houses, yet the average density for
residential development over the Bermuda Plan 1992 period within a Residential 1 zone
has been only 7 units per acre. Similarly, the permitted density within a Residential 2
zone is 2 units for detached houses, 3 units per acre for attached houses and 6 units per
acre for apartment houses, yet the average density for residential development over the
Bermuda Plan period within a Residential 2 zone has been only 3 units per acre. The
reasons for this might be planning related i.e. that on-site conditions such as topography,
physical features, means of vehicular access or property lines might limit developing to
the maximum provisions. On the other hand, it might be that whilst there has been a
growing trend in the building of more intensive forms of residential development (see
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Figure 18), the preference amongst many Bermudian home buyers still seems to be for
single family detached houses on separate lots (see Table 5).
4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 sq.ft. 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Source: The Department of Planning Figure 24: Vacant Land used for Residential Development (in sq. ft)
Analysis of the Department of Land Valuation data indicates that there is significant
potential for infill development within existing residential zones across the Island.
Estimates of residential land availability were made based on the following criteria and
calculations:¾ the current (Bermuda Plan 1992) acreage of land allocated within each residential
zone, excluding land designated with a conservation overlay; multiplied by
¾ the median development potential within the current residential development
provisions for those residential zones (a median of 13 units per acre permitted in a
Residential 1 zone and a median of 4 units per acre permitted in a Residential 2
zone); minus
¾ the existing number of residential valuation units in each of the two residential
zones.
Using the above criteria, it is estimated that there is capacity for 14,771 additional
residential units within the existing Residential 1 zones and capacity for 1,849 additional
residential units within the existing Residential 2 zones (see Table 11). As stated, these
numbers are based on median densities permitted in each zone and do not take into
account site specific limitations to development including topography, physical features,
means of vehicular access or property lines. Estimates are based on existing residential
valuation units, and Bermuda Plan 1992 zonings and policy provisions.
The figures would appear to indicate that there is ample land available within the existing
residential zones to allow for further infill development to meet the immediate and future
housing needs of the Island. It should be noted that these calculations exclude those
residential zoned areas which have a conservation overlay in which some limited
residential development might be allowed, as well as those registered lots which fall
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outside the existing residential zonings but which are committed to residential
development by subdivision and are not yet built on.
RES 1 zone
RES 2 zone
2,731
1,949
35,506
7,797
Existing no. of Land Valuation Units (March 2006)
20,735
5,948
Median additional no. of Residential Units
permitted (excludes existing residential units)
14,771
1,849
Existing acreage
No. of Residential Units permitted based on
existing residential acreage and median zoning
provisions (13 units per acre for RES 1 and 4 units
per acre for RES 2)
Table 11: Estimates of Residential Land Availability
In addition, the Bermuda Plan 1992 zonings did not include the 1,271 acres of land
formerly occupied by foreign military bases. The new Plan will include this land and will
provide for additional residential land particularly at Southside. There is also significant
potential for residential development at both Morgan’s Point and Tudor Hill.
4.3.6 Housing Affordability
Whilst existing residential land supply may be adequate to meet housing needs over the
next decade, the real issue is one of the affordability or the cost of purchasing and renting
residential accommodation. According to local real estate agents, property prices as a
whole on the Island increased on average 13% in 2005. The average sale price of a house
in 2005 was approximately $1.1 million compared to $1 million in 2004 and $700,000 in
2003. There has been a significant decrease in the last 5 years in the number of property
transactions under the $600,000 range (Coldwell Banker, January 2006 newsletter). In
recent years, developers have been maximizing the development potential of their land by
constructing mid to high priced ‘multi-family units’ rather than smaller, more affordable
family homes (Coldwell Banker, January 2006 newsletter). As mortgage rates increase in
addition to residential land resources becoming scarcer, housing affordability will
become even more of an issue.
While just over a quarter (28%) of respondents to the 2005 Public Perception Study on
Sustainable Development considered housing to be the single greatest challenge facing
Bermuda, 80% of respondents noted that the construction of affordable housing is a
‘critically important’ priority. As recommended in the Draft Sustainable Development
and Implementation Plan for Bermuda (December 2005), “the need exists to ensure that
there is a system in place that provides for a variety of housing types (and prices), and to
necessitate each and every neighbourhood to contribute its fair share, to meet the needs
of the entire population”. The Bermuda Government has made some recent progress in
the provision of more ‘affordable housing’ but there is still much progress to be made.
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The provision of affordable housing largely falls outside the realm of the land use
planning system; however, the Island’s development plan can play a part in helping to
ensure that an adequate supply of land is available for a variety of types of housing to be
provided, and this will continue to be a key objective in the new Bermuda Plan.
4.3.7 Residential Strategy
In preparing a residential development strategy for the Island, it is important to also
factor in the City of Hamilton. The City of Hamilton has its own development plan, the
City of Hamilton Plan 2001, which recognises that residential development is an essential
component of revitalising the City. With the encouragement of more residential
development in the City also as a means of alleviating the pressure to develop on open
space elsewhere on the Island, it is crucial that the City of Hamilton is factored into the
residential development strategy for the new Bermuda Plan.
The Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan (SDSIP) contains a
number of objectives which are relevant to planning policy regarding residential
development. Most notable of these are the following objectives:¾ The protection of, rehabilitation of and access to open spaces (Objective
3.1.A) - The SDSIP also includes a target of maintaining 30-45% of
Bermuda’s land mass as open space, the planning policy implication of which
is that there will be limited potential for designating new land for housing
development purposes.
¾ Better managed spatial development in the future (Objective 3.2.A) – The
planning policy implication of this objective is that the residential
development planning policies will need to reflect a long term, precautionary
approach to land consumption and ensure that limited land stocks are used as
efficiently as possible. The new Bermuda Plan will also need to ensure that
spatial requirements of residential development are well integrated with other
land use policies such as transport.
¾ Redevelop Morgan’s Point to meet the current economic, environmental and
social needs of Bermuda, and thereby save other open spaces from
redevelopment (Objective 3.4.A) - Morgan’s Point offers substantial scope for
residential development.
¾ The protection of and rehabilitation of Bermuda’s natural ecosystem
(Objective 3.5.A) - Planning policy for residential development will need to
be integrated with other environmental conservation policies.
¾ Ensure that the housing provision meets Bermuda’s needs (Objective 4.1) The new Plan will primarily concentrate on ensuring the availability of
adequate land for residential development and how this might assist in
providing affordable housing.
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¾ Develop a more secure energy supply (Objective 5.1.A), encourage water
efficiency and ensure a secure water supply (Objective 5.2.A), and move
towards tertiary treatment of sewage (Objective 5.4.A) – The new Plan will
need to:- look at the potential for encouraging greater energy efficiency in
residential development; ensure that residential buildings have adequate
water supply and means of conserving water supply; and require
environmentally sustainable methods of sewage disposal particularly in larger
residential developments and residential developments in environmentally
sensitive locations.
Given the fact that there is still ample land available within existing residential zoned
areas (including yet-to-be activated planning approvals and potential additional infill
development), additional capacity within the City of Hamilton for high density residential
development, as well as additional land available at the former military baselands to meet
housing demands for the next 10 years, it is not considered necessary to zone any
significant additional residential land in the new Plan, except at Southside. The
Bermuda Land Development Company (BLDC) has proposed the development of up to
48 acres of land at various locations in the Southside area for a variety of residential
development types including detached, attached and apartments. The new Bermuda Plan
will zone these areas residential according to the BLDC proposals plan.
Notwithstanding this additional land capacity, the general picture is one of diminishing
land supply for residential development. Continued conventional single family
residential development is likely to quickly consume Bermuda’s remaining residential
land resources, and this situation is likely to become critical beyond 2015. As such, it is
prudent to initiate, within the new Bermuda Plan, alternative approaches to providing
residential accommodation which help to alleviate pressure on Bermuda’s diminishing
land resources.
The new Bermuda Plan must also work in tandem with Government’s wider sustainable
development strategy framework which also promotes the establishment of sustainable
communities, the provision of affordable housing and the reduction in traffic congestion.
The focus, in the new Plan, will therefore be on encouraging the most efficient use of
residential land resources as well as the promotion of sustainable development principles
by means of the following:o Encouraging the establishment of more mixed use ‘live/work/play’ communities
in already built up areas;
o Encouraging mixed-use development e.g. residential development on the upper
floors of commercial office buildings;
o Promoting the redevelopment of ‘brownfield sites’ and the minimization of
development on ‘green field sites’
o Permitting higher density residential development in appropriate locations with
good access to public transport facilities and adequate infrastructure and utility
services;
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o Allowing more flexibility with regard to the height of residential buildings and the
use of attic spaces, whilst continuing to protect residential amenity;
o Allowing appropriate infill development in suitable locations;
o Encouraging the development of more affordable housing; and
o Encouraging the development of more energy efficient residential development in
terms of design, provision of water and sewage treatment.
4.4 Tourism development
4.4.1 Trends in the Tourism Industry
Bermuda offers five main tourism products:- ‘Sun, sand and sea’ based tourism, heritage
tourism, eco-tourism, sports tourism, and events tourism. The Ministry of Tourism’s exit
surveys with air visitors indicate the top main reasons for coming to Bermuda include the
weather, relaxation, personal safety, hospitality of the people, beaches and water
activities and the natural, scenic environment. The main attractions visited include the
Royal Naval Dockyard, the Town of St. George, Horseshoe Bay, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse,
the museums, Crystal Caves and the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo.
Since 1990, the number of air visitor arrivals has been declining. Major events including
September 11th 2001, the Iraq War, the decline in the U.S. economy and the impact of
Hurricane Fabian in 2003 have had a damaging effect on Bermuda’s tourism industry.
The majority of Bermuda’s tourists come from the U.S. east coast and any events to
affect this area have a direct impact on Bermuda’s tourism industry. However, in recent
years the number of air visitor arrivals has started to rise. The number of cruise ship
visitors has seen a steady increase since 1990 (see Figure 25).
500,000
450,000
400,000
300,000
Air
250,000
Cruise
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
2006
2004
2002
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
0
1990
Arrivals
350,000
Year
Figure 25: Air and Cruise Visitor Arrivals 1990 to 2006
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By the end of November 2006, there were 55 operating licensed properties on the Island
and two licensed properties on the water (see Table 12). Table 13 shows other tourism
accommodations including those currently under construction or temporarily closed.
No. of
Type of Accommodation
Establishments
Resort Hotels - large
4
Small Hotels
10
Cottages, Suites and Apartments - large
11
Cottages, Suites and Apartments - small
10
Cottage Colonies
8
Private Clubs
2
Inns
3
Bed and Breakfast
7
Floatels (live-aboard accommodations)
2
Totals
57
Source: Ministry of Tourism and Transport
No. of
Units
1,442
471
179
51
511
82
37
48
7
2,828
Normal
Bed Count
2,912
946
362
104
1,030
164
74
100
14
5,706
Licensed
Bed Count
3,715
1,147
601
142
1,220
234
90
130
14
7,293
Table 12: Tourism Accommodation, Nov. 2006
Name of Establishment
No. of Units
Normal Bed
Count
Licensed Property Exempt from Hotel Regulation
Astwood Cove
20
40
Tucker's Point Club - Residence Club
20
40
Licensed Properties Under Construction /Development
Newstead Belmont Hills Resort
(Newstead)
104
208
Newstead Belmont Hills Resort
(Belmont)
50
100
Tucker's Point Club
100
200
Properties: Closed, Pending Sale or Re-Development
Club Med
341
650
Lantana
65
130
Palmetto Hotel
40
80
Wyndham Bermuda Resort & Spa
252
504
Source: Ministry of Tourism and Transport
Table 13: Other Tourism Accommodations, Nov. 2006
Page 44 of 97
Licensed
Bed Count
66
160
688
130
98
504
4.4.2 Changes in the Tourism Product
A study by Coopers and Lybrand entitled “New Trends in Tourism” (July 1998) found
that Bermuda is highly dependent on its traditional hotel inventory with over 96% of
Bermuda’s tourism accommodations concentrated in hotel properties. Since 1998, we
have seen a diversification of Bermuda’s tourism product to include other types of
accommodation which have included condominiums, fractional ownerships and
timeshare units which have enabled hotels to become more competitive. As the report
states, the development of these alternative accommodations brings multiple benefits.
They attract more visitors on a per unit basis than a typical resort, they have a higher
return visitation rate and a longer length of stay, timeshare visitors tend to spend more per
trip than traditional vacation travelers, and many timeshare visitors extend their stay or
buy additional weekly intervals increasing their length of stay.
The Ministry of Tourism’s Tourist Accommodation Condominium Policy (January 2006)
describes some of these new tourism accommodations as follows:(a) fractionally owned tourist accommodation or fractional condominiums – where
each unit is divided into at least four fractions, and the licensed owner of a
fraction can occupy the unit for no more than a 30 day length of stay and an
annual total of no more than 90 days;
(b) condominium hotels – where an individual holds an entire legal estate in a unit
which comprises a hotel suite, and where the units are part of the hotel room’s
inventory and are managed by the hotel;
(c) hotel residence – where an individual holds an entire legal estate in a hotel
residence which are likely to be used for short periods during the year and the unit
placed in the hotel inventory when not in residence.
The 1992 Planning Statement defines tourism accommodation as sleeping
accommodation for paying guests including resorts, hotel, housekeeping cottages, guest
houses and limited tourism accommodation. The new Bermuda Plan needs to take
account of the diversity in the tourism product today which includes residential forms of
resort accommodation which will help to diversity the tourism product and make
Bermuda more competitive with other destinations. Nevertheless, the main planning
issues which distinguish a residential accommodation proper from a tourism or
residential resort accommodation are the requirements for adequate car parking
provisions, private outdoor space and communal open space, and these are unlikely to
change in the new Plan. In terms of car parking, since the owners of fractional units and
condominium hotel units will not be entitled to own a vehicle, car parking spaces for
these units will not be a requirement.
The “New Trends in Tourism” (July 1998) report stated that the general quality of
Bermuda’s tourism product was in urgent need of upgrading and refurbishment and that
Bermuda’s visitor accommodation inventory lacked a truly luxury and world class
product such as a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton hotel in order to be on par with competing
destinations internationally. The Ministry of Tourism has put and continues to put great
effort into encouraging the refurbishment of tourism accommodations and attracting a
luxury tourism product. This has been aided by the introduction of the Hotels
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Concession Act in 2000. Since then, a number of hotels including Elbow Beach,
Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Fairmont Southampton Princess have undergone
significant renovations, and the Tuckers Point Club and Newstead Belmont Hills Resort,
currently under construction, will both offer a luxury tourism product.
In terms of meeting the Bermuda Plan 1992 Planning Statement’s objective for tourism
which is “To provide for the regulated development and upgrading to tourist facilities
consistent with the operation of a successful tourism industry”, this objective has largely
been met in that there have been a number of hotels renovated or rebuilt since 1992.
4.4.3 Tourism Land
The Bermuda Plan 1992 designates 42 sites, comprising a total of 358 acres, as tourism
land. However, there are also a number of tourism properties that are located in other
development zones, in particular residential development zones.
Since 1998, there has been a significant increase in the redevelopment of tourism sites for
residential uses with planning approval having been granted for 585 new residential units
comprising 1.7 million sq. ft. of residential floorspace on tourism zoned land. Department
of Land Valuation records indicate that 214 new residential valuation units have been
issued on tourism zoned land since 1993.
The Bermuda Plan 1992 states that residential forms of development are permitted on the
same site as an existing tourism accommodation development, if the Board is satisfied
that the tourism use will continue to be the principal use of the site. However,
clarification is required in the new Plan to determine how the ‘principal use’ is quantified
(for instance number of beds, units, square footage, site coverage or acres).
The Ministry of Tourism has indicated that it is keen to see all currently zoned tourism
zones retained as tourism in order to support and promote the further development of
Bermuda’s tourism industry in the future. As such, it is proposed that the new Plan will
not rezone any tourism zoned sites (even though some may be solely in residential use)
other than to take into account minor boundary adjustments.
The subdivision of tourism land into separate titles to permit fractional, residential
leaseback and residential is a financial and ownership requirement of these newer tourism
products and the new Plan will need to address this issue. The new Plan also needs to
address the issue of the provision of staff housing either on or off site. However, the new
Plan will continue to aim to preserve tourism zoned land for tourism accommodation and
tourism related activities and to restrict the amount of non-tourism related residential
development on tourism lands.
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4.4.4 Tourism Strategy
The Ministry of Tourism and Transport’s Tourism Plan 2005 sets out the Government’s
tourism strategy for the future. Its objectives include:o Increasing air arrivals to 400,000 over 3 years by continuing to decrease air fares,
developing and growing new geographic markets, making the Bermuda product
relevant to the target audience, positioning Bermuda as a year-round destination,
creating demand and drive conversion;
o Achieving daily carrying capacity through effective management of cruise
arrivals by extending the cruise ship season, introducing upscale ships and further
diversify the cruise industry;
o Increasing visitor ‘complete satisfaction’ by enriching the visitor experience,
improving environmental management and planning;
o Increasing per person visitor spending by creating visitor interest and desire to
experience the destination more fully.
The SDSIP (June 2006) also recommends that a Tourism Development Strategy be
prepared which prioritises tourism zoned sites currently suitable for tourism development
and markets them to potential investors and developers.
As a member country of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Bermuda supports
the CTO’s tenet of a sustainable tourism industry which it defines as:- “the optimal use of
social, natural, cultural and financial resources for national development on an equitable
and self-sustaining basis to provide a unique visitor experience and an improved quality
of life through partnerships among government, the private sector and communities.”
Within this context, Bermuda’s land use policies for tourism should directly benefit the
local community, protect the natural and cultural heritage, control energy and water use,
and contribute towards a better life for future generations.
The new Plan’s tourism policies will support the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy and
sustainable tourism objectives and aim to achieve the following:o Provide for the enhancement of the Island’s existing tourism product;
o Encourage and support the development of new and innovative tourism products;
o Protect valuable tourism land for the future while providing flexibility to meet the
defined demands of today;
o Encourage the redevelopment of existing ‘brownfield’ tourism sites over the
development of new ‘greenfield’ sites for tourism use;
o Provide for new investment, jobs and leisure opportunities in appropriate
locations across the Island;
o Provide for the necessary infrastructural support (including utility services and
transport); and
o Protect the Island’s environment and scenic beauty which is such a major
attraction to most visitors.
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Bermuda is a very different place to that which existed 20 to 30 years ago. The tourism
industry globally has changed and Bermuda’s experiences of that industry have changed.
The challenge is for the Island to accommodate the global and local changes in the
tourism industry in such a way that it complements rather than detracts from the image of
Bermuda that visitors come to the Island to enjoy.
4.5
Economic development
4.5.1 The Economy
Over the last decade, Bermuda has continued to maintain a buoyant economy with high
GDP per capita ($4.5 billion in 2004), strong growth, low levels of public debt and high
levels of employment. As shown in Figure 26, the total number of jobs filled in all
sectors has been steadily rising over the last decade and reached 38,947 in 2005.
40,000
39,000
38,000
37,000
36,000
35,000
34,000
33,000
32,000
31,000
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Figure 26: Number of Jobs Filled
The international business sector has been the largest contributor to the growth in GDP
since 2001, contributing almost $1 billion and increasing some 174% since 1996,
compared to an increase of 66% in the total economy-wide GDP since 1996. The number
of international companies rose from 13,337 in 2002 to 13,528 in 2003, and almost 1,200
new international companies and partnerships were registered in Bermuda in 2004. The
international business sector accounted for the largest gain in employment with 793 new
jobs in 2004. In addition, industries which support the international business sector such
as financial, legal, computer and accounting services have also experienced significant
growth. Figure 27 shows the number of jobs in each employment sector and the increase
in number of jobs filled in the International Business, Business Services and Construction
sectors.
Page 48 of 97
5,000
Agric., Fish., Min. & Qry
4,500
Manufacturing
Electricity, Gas & Water
4,000
Construction
Wholesale Trade
3,500
Retail Trade & Repair Svcs.
Hotels
3,000
Restaurants, Bars, Canteens
2,500
Transport & Communication
Financial Intermediation
2,000
Real Estate & Renting
Activities
Business Services
1,500
Public Administration
Education, Health, Social
Work
Other Community, Social,
Personal Services
International Business
Activity
1,000
500
20
04
20
02
20
00
19
98
19
96
19
94
-
Figure 27: Number of Jobs Filled by Employment Sector
This growth has led to a high demand for additional office and retail space and a boom in
the construction industry. The last decade has seen significant new construction of office
and retail space particularly within the City of Hamilton and on its western and eastern
peripheries as well as the construction of new secondary schools and a new sports
stadium. The Island has also experienced significant residential development, most
notably the development of residential units on previous hotel sites (e.g. Mermaid Beach,
SeaCliffs/Longtail Cliffs, Palmetto Gardens and Skytop) and as part of hotel
redevelopment schemes (e.g. Ariel Sands, Belmont Hills, Tucker Point Club/Ships Hills,
Elbow Beach Hotel, Pink Beach Hotel and The Wharf).
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Bermuda is embarking on other new major capital projects, most notable of which are the
construction of a new Castle Harbour crossing, a new hospital, a new airport terminal, a
new magistrates court/police station and new cruise ship facilities. These major projects
will have a significant impact on the Island’s operations and infrastructure in the future.
The Island itself has very few natural resources. It continues to be entirely dependent on
the importation of fuel for transport and electricity consumption and highly dependent on
imports for most basic commodities and consumer goods. The Island’s economy is
increasingly one which relies heavily on currency in-flows from overseas. In addition,
the Island has inadequate population resources to support the current economy and
requires high numbers of overseas workers to serve in a variety of employment sectors.
In 2004, 28% of jobs were held by non-Bermudians. The Island’s foreign population
puts added pressure on the Island’s housing, school and transport infrastructure which has
to be taken into account in planning for the Island’s future land use requirements.
As recognized in the Draft Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan
for Bermuda (June 2006) and by the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation
(BSBDC), Bermuda’s economy needs to diversity, and opportunities for increased
entrepreneurship and small business development need to be created. One land use
related option is the establishment of Economic Empowerment Zones (EEZ) such as the
one recently established for North Hamilton. Within this EEZ small businesses can be
actively supported and incubated by Government by way of land tax breaks and
infrastructure investment, and supported through flexible planning policies. It is
proposed that the new Bermuda Plan, as well as future amendments to the City of
Hamilton Plan 2001, will support this initiative through appropriate zonings and policies.
4.5.2 Commercial development and land availability
As seen in Figure 27, the number of jobs filled in the retail sector has been steadily
declining over the last decade while the number of jobs filled in office-based work such
as International Business and Business Services has steadily increased.
The Department of Planning’s Land Use Survey 2000 showed that some 2% or 226 acres
of land is used for commercial purposes in Bermuda, the majority of which is located in
or around the City of Hamilton. Department of Land Valuation statistics (2005) indicate
that there is some 3,582,570 sq. ft. (332,832 sq. m.) of office floor space currently on the
Island, 65% of which is located within the City of Hamilton, 10% in commercially zoned
sites on the City peripheries and 25% in commercially zoned sites elsewhere on the
Island. Retail floorspace amounts to some 2,619,094 sq. ft. (243,322 sq. m.) across the
Island.
The Commercial Development Zone was created under the Bermuda Plan 1992 in an
attempt to concentrate commercial activity into specific sites, help decentralise
commercial activity from the City of Hamilton, and relieve pressure of commercial
development from residential areas. Commercial development has a very broad
definition under the Bermuda Plan 1992 and includes offices, shops, restaurants,
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showrooms as well as service and craft industries. However, a number of land uses are
permissible within Commercial Zones including residential and social developments, and
as such the Commercial zone operates much like a mixed-use development zone.
Twelve commercial centres, comprising some 132 acres, were zoned under the Bermuda
Plan 1992. Land use studies conducted in 2005/6 have indicated that a number of centres
including Collector’s Hill, Warwick Central and Shelly Bay are operating at full capacity
with no units unoccupied, indicating that there may be demand to see these centres
expand. Other centres such as Dockyard, Flatts, Somerset Road, Somerset Village, have
a high unit vacancy rate.
Surveys of these and other commercial sites, as well as consultations with key
commercial stakeholders, indicate that the Bermuda Plan 1992 commercial land policies
and zonings need to be more reflective of the Island’s current economic and social needs.
In particular, there has been significant commercial growth around the City of Hamilton
peripheries and at Southside, and the new Plan needs to reflect the commercial
development potential of these areas. In addition, there are other areas, such as Paget
Plaza and Paget Central, which function as commercial centres but are not zoned as such.
The new Plan will continue to encourage a mix of land use types in commercial centres
and permit further, mixed use development and higher densities within certain existing
commercial centres as well as new centres (particularly in those locations which are well
served by public transport) through the establishment of a new ‘mixed use’ zone (see
section 5.1.2).
Consultations with key stakeholders have also indicated the need for greater flexibility in
the home occupation policies to allow for limited commercial development within
residential areas with appropriate restrictions to preserve the character of residential
areas.
4.5.3 Industrial development and land availability
In 2005, there were approximately 9,189 industrial related jobs (manufacturing,
construction, wholesale trade and motor vehicles, retail trade and repair) comprising 23%
of all jobs filled. The international business sector is a major financial contributor to the
industrial sector and has contributed to growth in computer cabling, air-conditioning, file
storage businesses.
The Department of Planning Land Use Survey 2000/2001 showed that some 2% or 321
acres of land is used for industrial purposes in Bermuda (see Figure 9). However, the
Bermuda Plan 1992 only zones 178 acres of this land as Industrial. One reason is that
there is a significant amount of Government owned land that is used for industrial
purposes but is zoned, under the Bermuda Plan 1992, as Government not Industrial.
Such areas include Tynes Bay (11 acres) and the Government Quarry (23 acres). Other
areas have come ‘on-line’ as industrial areas since the Bermuda Plan 1992, the largest of
which are the St. David’s Industrial Estate and Marginal/Ship’s Wharf at Southside
which collectively comprise some 36 acres.
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The nature and potential impacts posed by industrial activity necessitate that industrial
areas be carefully located in order to preserve the residential amenity of neighbouring
areas. The Bermuda Plan 1992 currently zones 11 industrial estates for industrial
development, 3 of which (totaling 9 acres) are zoned solely for light industrial
development. Department of Land Valuation records (2005) indicate that there is some
3,538,783 sq. ft. (328,764 sq. m.) of industrial floor space (including industrial,
warehousing and utility industrial related uses but excluding government owned
properties), of which 1,765,968 sq. ft. (164, 064 sq. m.) or 50% is located within existing
industrial zoned areas.
The Department of Planning’s Industrial Land Survey 2006 showed the availability of
nearly 6 acres of vacant land within the existing industrial zones amounting to 25 vacant
industrial lots. The survey found that most industrial estates, such as Mills Creek and
Marsh Lane, are operating at full capacity with little room for expansion other than an
increase in building height or a more efficient configuration of existing lots.
It is proposed that the new Bermuda Plan will designate existing industrial areas at
Southside and Government owned industrial sites such as Tynes Bay and the Government
Quarry as industrial zones, totaling an additional 70 acres of industrial zoned land.
Morgan’s Point also offers potential for additional industrial land.
4.6 Institutional Facilities
Comprising some 249 acres under the Bermuda Plan 1992, Institutional zoned lands
currently include health facilities, educational establishments including their playing
fields, telecommunication facilities and certain government facilities. The Bermuda Plan
1992 also addresses these types of land uses under the definition of ‘social development’.
The new Plan will aim to clarify the planning provisions for institutional land uses by
zoning those lands used for institutional purposes only. For example, under the new Plan
school playing fields and pitches will be zoned Recreation rather than Institutional,
although institutional development may be permitted in these areas, and additional
government facilities will be zoned Institutional rather than Government.
The new Plan will also aim to provide further clarification on planning provisions
regarding the development of day care facilities, day care providers and tutorial sites or
home schools.
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4.7 Utility Services
Utility services include provisions for water and energy supplies, telecommunication
systems, and the treatment of wastewater and sewage disposal. These utility services are
provided by the Government, statutory bodies and private companies and are subject to
regulation by the Ministry of the Environment’s Environment Authority.
4.7.1 Water Supply
Bermuda has a unique and traditional method of providing potable water, the utilization
of roof catchments to collect rainwater which is stored in holding tanks below or beside
the building. Planning regulations require that every building provide a water tank sized
in proportion of the building’s roof catchment which is a storage capacity of at least 100
imperial gallons (Ig) for every 10 sq. ft. of roof catchment area. This requirement works
well for single storey and two storey buildings; however higher density residential
developments and hotels require additional water supply in the form of piped water
abstracted from groundwater wells or seawater desalination plants.
There are five providers of water on the Island:- the Government of Bermuda, Bermuda
Waterworks, Archie Sousa, Island Water/Barrit’s and K.C. Daniels. The Government of
Bermuda (Ministry of Works and Engineering) provides water by abstracting water from
the four underground lenses of Somerset, Port Royal, Central and St. George’s.
Bermuda’s ground water lenses are designated as ‘protection areas’ under the Bermuda
Plan 1992 and thus regulates the type of development and method of sewage disposal in
these areas. These ground water protection areas have worked well in regulating
appropriate development and will be retained in the new Plan.
Bermuda Waterworks provides water from seawater desalination and brackish ground
water. It holds water at its Jubilee Road (Devonshire) and Turtle Hill (Southampton)
storage tanks. These sites are currently located within conservation zones, as designated
under the Bermuda Plan 1992, which restricts their further development. The new
Bermuda Plan needs to provide more flexibility with regard to the development of water
supply services.
In order to ensure adequate water supply, the Department of Health recommends that
high density residential developments be located in areas where piped water is available
or seawater desalination plants can be installed to provide additional water to that
collected on the roof catchment. The new Bermuda Plan needs to address this issue. It
will provide more detailed policies with regard to water supply, and refer to the Ministry
of Works and Engineering’s proposed Water Master Plan and guidelines provided within
this Plan to regulate the provision of adequate infrastructure to supply water to new
developments.
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4.7.2 Sewage Disposal
The new Bermuda Plan needs also to include more detailed provisions to regulate the
type of sewage treatment and disposal appropriate for high density developments,
particularly those developments located in sensitive locations such as near the coastline
or over the ground water lenses, in accordance with provisions set by the Department of
Environmental Protection and the Ministry of the Environment’s Environment Authority.
The traditional form of cesspit disposal of sewage and wastewater is not acceptable and
for large developments (comprising over 100 bedrooms or equivalent), conventional
secondary treatment or tertiary treatment should be required. For developments up to 100
bedrooms or equivalent, primary treatment in a septic tank followed by disposal via a
deep sealed borehole should be required.
4.7.3 Electricity
Bermuda is currently almost entirely dependent on the importation of fuel which is
supplied by Shell and Esso provided to the Island by the Bermuda Electric Light
Company (BELCo). The Tynes Bay Waste Treatment Facility, which came on line in
1994, provides additional energy to the grid through energy recovery.
BELCo’s 23 acre site in Pembroke falls within an Industrial zone as designated by the
Bermuda Plan 1992. This site is currently operating at full capacity and with electricity
demand expected to increase some 1.5% annually over the next 20 years, BELCo is
looking to maximize the development potential of their existing Pembroke site and
possibly set up additional distribution generation sites around the Island. BELCo is also
assessing the feasibility of alternative, renewable energy sources including ocean current,
solar and wind energy. The Tynes Bay Incinerator is also expected to generate more
energy in the future.
In terms of energy conservation, the Department of Planning is looking to revise the
Bermuda Building Code in 2007/8 and to require the provision of energy efficiency and
‘green’ design features as part of all new developments and renovations. In addition, the
Draft SDSIP recommends that Bermuda’s energy provision comprise 15% renewable
energy sources by 2015. This will go some way towards reducing the future levels of
demand on BELCo. It will also have implications for land use and design regulations
over the life of the new Bermuda Plan.
4.7.4 Telecommunications
Bermuda is home to many international companies and competes in a global market. As
such, the Island needs to have a modern and sophisticated telecommunications system.
However, telecommunications towers are unsightly and there are perceived
environmental health issues associated with them. As such, Government policy has
regulated the number of towers by promoting the co-location of telecommunication
carriers.
The new Plan will ensure that any new development is designed to provide a satisfactory
level of utility services and to protect the Island’s water resources. The new Plan will
also seek to facilitate the appropriate development, upgrading and expansion of utility
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providers by permitting the development of utility related facilities in appropriate
locations regardless of the planning zoning, providing it does not detract from residential
amenity and, in accordance with section 28 of the Development and Planning Act 1974,
does not cause measurable damage to the environment in particular the Heads of
Protection (Woodlands, Beach, Cave, Habitat and Other Natural Features). An
environmental impact statement will be required for any major new utility developments.
4.8 Transportation and Parking
Despite the positive controlling factors of the 1951 Motor Car Act, in particular its
restriction of one car per household, Bermuda has nevertheless experienced a
phenomenal growth in the number of motor vehicles on its roads, in particular cars. With
this growth has come increased traffic congestion, air and noise pollution, as well as
increased pressure on the Island’s scarce land resources to provide more road and parking
space.
In 2004, there were 49,229 registered vehicles on the Island, an increase of 5% from the
previous year. Traffic congestion is particularly bad in and around the City of Hamilton
and increases by some 15% during school term time. Cars comprise 44% of all vehicles
on the road and dominate as the prime mode of transport to work.
Transport systems are a key component of ‘sustainable development’ because of their
dependence on the use of natural resources and their potentially damaging effect on the
physical environment. The alleviation of many traffic problems can to a great extent be
achieved by encouraging a modal shift from the private car to more ‘sustainable’ modes
of transport such as the bus or ferry that are more efficient in terms of passenger carrying
capacity. The Bermuda Government has been successful in modernising the ferry system
(see Figure 28), as part of its wider National Transportation Management Plan, and this is
proving to be an increasingly popular mode of transport for residents and visitors. In
addition, the Island’s bus service is extensive with no areas more than half a mile from a
bus route.
Figure 28: Bermuda's Ferries
Source: The Ministry of Tourism and Transport
One of the SDSIP’s main objectives is “to ease congestion on Bermuda’s roads”
(Objective 5.5.A). Likewise, the new Bermuda Plan will include transport policies which
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utilise both ‘carrot’ and ‘stick’ measures to enhance the provision of public transport,
cycling and pedestrian facilities, and encourage patterns of land use and urban form that
reduce journey lengths and the need to travel, particularly by private car. This
‘sustainable approach’ to resolving Bermuda’s transport problems is at the forefront of
the island-wide National Transportation Management Report 2002 as well as the City of
Hamilton Plan 2001. The new Bermuda Plan will aim to complement these other plans
and initiatives and ensure that planning policies and transport policies are co-ordinated
and complementary. As such, the new Plan is likely to include policies which encourage
higher density residential development in existing urban centres and in other locations
with good public transport as a means of alleviating pressure to develop greenfield sites
and to ease traffic congestion by reducing dependence on the private car. In addition, as
a means of assessing the potential traffic impacts and ensuring coordination of planning
and transport initiatives, traffic impact studies and environmental impact assessments will
be required for all new major development projects.
With the increasing use of cars comes the increasing demand for parking space. The
Bermuda Plan 1992 requires new developments outside the City of Hamilton to provide a
minimum number of car and bike parking spaces according to the development’s use and
floorspace. Those establishments around the Island which have the largest areas of land
devoted to parking are generally hotels, schools, churches, and supermarkets. In the
future, as a means of reducing the amount of traffic on our roads as well as reducing the
amount of land consumed by asphalt, private developments may be required to provide a
maximum rather than a minimum number of parking spaces and to indicate that the
parking space provided is absolutely necessary for the operational requirements of the
land or building use to which it is associated.
The emphasis of the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing’s road programme
has been on improving the safety of roads for vehicles through road widening schemes
and protecting the character and charm of the Island’s roads through sensitive design,
road treatment and landscaping. It has also focused on improving the safety of roads for
pedestrians through the provision of new sidewalks in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic.
In order to promote more walking amongst the Island’s residents and visitors, the SDSIP
recommends that future planning policy require the inclusion of a public sidewalk in all
future developments bordering a major road.
A new Castle Harbour crossing and a new Airport Terminal are major new transportation
projects planned for the near future. It is essential that these major infrastructural
projects be coordinated with land use zonings and policies for the Hamilton and St.
George’s parishes as well as the rest of the Island.
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4.9 The Historic Environment
4.9.1 Historic Areas and Listed Buildings
Bermuda has made good progress over the last 12 years in highlighting the need to
protect and preserve its heritage. Since the Bermuda Plan 1992 became operative, there
have been nearly 800 buildings listed across the Island. In addition, the Town of St.
George and related fortifications were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in
2000. These important initiatives have raised the profile of the Island’s cultural heritage
both locally and internationally, and present a responsibility to preserve and manage them
effectively.
Figure 29: King’s Square, Town of St. George
The Bermuda Plan 1992’s Historic Protected Areas have performed adequately since
1992. However, a number of new areas worthy of designation as historic protection areas
have come to light over the plan period. It is intended that the new Bermuda Plan will
provide more protection to Bermuda’s historic buildings and areas through the
designation of additional historic areas and the inclusion of more specific planning
policies regarding historic areas and listed buildings.
The new Plan will also include principles of design as well as written character
statements for specific planning areas for guiding decision-making on development
proposals in historic areas, most importantly, the Town of St. George. It is essential that
principles, standards and guidelines as they apply to the Island’s World Heritage Site be
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compatible with international charters developed by UNESCO. Additionally, the new
Plan will be supported by more detailed standards, guidelines and procedures for the
treatment of grade 1, 2 and 3 listed buildings and historic monuments.
Despite the restrictions on scale, form, materials, setback and height that will continue to
be in place to protect the integrity of historic areas, the new Plan will also aim to ensure
that historic areas are sustained economically and socially. This will be achieved by
allowing a degree of flexibility with regard to land uses in such areas to allow a mix of
uses providing there is not a detrimental impact to the historic environment. In particular
the ability to locate office and residential uses in commercial areas, while affording
opportunities for income in residential areas through appropriate home occupations,
social development, and commercial development, is a key objective of the new Bermuda
Plan. For the Town of St. George, this will provide balance to the Town’s traditional
reliance on tourism as well as encourage growth in other sectors.
4.9.2 Sites of Archaeological Significance
Bermuda’s rich archaeological heritage has never been adequately protected on land even
though maritime archaeological sites have been regulated since 1959. Unlike other
conservation or protected areas, protecting the archaeology of a site is less about
prohibiting development than it is about preserving the ability to conduct an
archaeological assessment. As such, it is proposed that the new Plan include policies
requiring preliminary archaeological assessments and archaeological management plans
to be prepared for development within Historic Protected Areas.
4.10 Agriculture
Agriculture is part of Bermuda’s cultural and natural history, as well as its scenic
environment and visual image. Agricultural land provides open space, employment, local
and emergency food sources and reduces the amount of foreign currency required for the
purchase of food (see Figure 30).
Since the peak of 1921 when there were some 3,000 acres of agricultural land farmed on
the Island, there has been a decline to a mere 380 acres of active farming land in
commercial cultivation today (Department of Conservation Services, 2001 Arable Audit)
Figure 31 shows the concomitant increase in the Island’s population and decline in the
amount of arable land.
The 380 acres of actively farmed land is just over half the total 696 acres of land zoned
for agricultural protection under the Bermuda Plan 1992. However, this 380 acres
includes numerous fields located outside or extending beyond the Agricultural Land
zoning. The protection of agricultural land has been a key objective in all four Bermuda
Development Plans; nevertheless the 696 acres of land zoned for agricultural land under
the Bermuda Plan 1992 is significantly lower than the amount zoned under previous
development plans (see Figures 32 and 33).
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Figure 30: Agricultural field in production
Pop.
3,000
60,000
Arable land (ac.)
2,500
50,000
2,000
40,000
1,500
30,000
20,000
1,000
10,000
500
Population
Arable Land (acres)
0
0
1840 1860 1880 1900 1921 1940 1960 1980 2000
Note: Data for years 1834–1931 represent land in cultivation. For years 1941–1970 the data is based on total arable
land whether cultivated or not. The 1977 figure includes small plots as small as 0.1 acre.
Source: Adapted and updated (Census 2000 & Dept of Conservation Services) from Bermuda’s Delicate Balance 1981
.
Figure 31: Arable Land and Population
Page 59 of 97
1600
1400
1200
1000
Acres 800
600
400
200
1971
1981
1992
Source: Department of Planning Bermuda Development Plan Report of Survey 1974, Bermuda
Development Plan Report of Survey 1983 and Bermuda Development Plan 1992
Figure 32: Land zoned for Agriculture in Development Plans
400
350
300
250
1971
Acres
200
1981
1992
150
100
50
0
Sandy's
Southampton
Warwick
Paget
Pembroke Devonshire
Smith's
Hamilton St. George's
Source: Department of Planning Bermuda Development Plan Report of Survey 1974, Bermuda
Development Plan Report of Survey 1983 and Bermuda Development Plan 1992
Figure 33: Land zoned for Agriculture by Parish
Page 60 of 97
In total, there are 1,079 agriculturally zoned parcels of land. In March 2006, the
Department of Planning conducted a visual survey of 591 of these parcels and found that
only 30% of these parcels were actually planted or being ploughed and that many parcels
were being used as amenity areas such as lawns or landscaping (see Figure 34), a mixed
use or for fruit cultivation.
Figure 34: Agricultural zoned land used as a lawn
There is increasing demand from owners of registered lots to utilize their agriculturally
zoned land for other, more lucrative, purposes. Each year, an average of 18 planning
applications are received for development on land which has some form of agricultural
zoning and over the last 12 years, 28% of planning appeals to the Minister have involved
residential development on agriculturally zoned land.
Over the Bermuda Plan 1992 period, agricultural zoned land has been used for a variety
of purposes other than for farming. Department of Land Valuation records indicate that
approximately 46 residential units have been constructed on lots which contain an
agricultural zoning. The tendency is for the agricultural zoned land to be used as an
amenity space for the residential development but during construction these agricultural
areas are often damaged when used as staging areas. It is sometimes assumed that if the
soil quality of Agricultural zoned land is incapable of cultivation then it is inappropriately
zoned; however Agricultural zoned land is capable of supporting other farming activities
including the breeding of livestock and grazing.
As indicated in the Review of the Bermudian Agricultural Sector Report (Dec. 2002),
Bermuda is currently only able to produce less than 20% of its produce. Whilst
agricultural production of the land is declining, agricultural land nevertheless has
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significant amenity value and provides a vital contribution to maintaining the rural
character of the “Bermuda Image” as well as the long term self-sufficiency needs of the
Island. As highlighted in the 2005 Public Perceptions Study on Sustainable
Development, 85% of respondents consider the agricultural sector to be important to
Bermuda’s future and suggest that this sector should be maintained or further enhanced,
with 47% of respondents considering this to be ‘critically important’. One of the main
objectives within the Sustainable Development Strategy and Implementation Plan (Draft
2005) is “to maintain a viable agricultural sector” in Bermuda.
The public’s support for preserving agricultural land will be reflected in the new
Bermuda Plan which will seek to protect, through revised zonings as well as strengthened
policies and definitions, key areas of agricultural land. The new Plan will also emphasize
the importance of retaining agricultural land for its amenity value as well as its potential
for cultivation. It is proposed that currently zoned agricultural land will be zoned as
Agriculture Reserve to reflect its potential use for cultivation and other farming activities
as well as its longer term value for future food security. Home gardens and fruiting trees
are viable alternatives in existing fragmented parcels and these uses will be encouraged.
It is important that development is set back an adequate distance from agricultural land to
allow for soil water retention, a pesticide buffer, shading and a turning radius for farm
vehicles. The Bermuda Plan 1992 currently provides for a 15 feet setback; however, the
new Plan may include building height bonus provisions in exchange for increased
setbacks from agricultural zoned land.
The government has sustained agricultural in Bermuda through the protection of land,
embargoes on produce, and the provision of services to the agricultural industry via the
government marketing centre. The continuation of the Island’s agricultural industry will
rely on continued government support including agriculture policies in the new Bermuda
Plan which aim to protect agricultural land from development.
4.11 The Natural Environment
4.11.1 Open Space
Bermuda’s population and household growth, and economic prosperity have had a
detrimental impact on the Island’s open spaces and terrestrial habitats through land
development. The increase in the amount of land used for residential purposes over the
30 year period between 1970/71 and 2000/01 has been directly proportional to the
decrease in open space over the same period (see Figure 35).
The Department of Planning’s land use survey 2000/2001 estimated that 33% of
Bermuda’s land is used as ‘open space’ (see Figure 9). This includes land generally open
in character such as rural areas, national parks, nature reserves, golf courses and other
recreational areas.
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Bermuda has 539 acres (218 ha) of terrestrial areas that are currently protected as nature
reserves under the Bermuda Plan 1992. This equates to just over 4% of Bermuda’s land
area which have been set aside strictly for the protection of flora and fauna. In spite of
their protected designation, these areas are far from pristine and are affected by many
types of threats. If protected open space areas such as public parks and other National
Trust open spaces are included, the percentage of protected open spaces amounts to just
less than 10% of Bermuda’s land.
50
40
30
%
1970/71
20
2000/01
10
0
Residential
Open Space
Other Land Use
Source: Land Use Surveys 1970/71 and 2000/01, the Department of Planning
Figure 35: Land use change in Bermuda 1970/1 to 2000/1
As indicated in the State of the Environment Report 2005, the major threat over the last
decade to many of Bermuda’s environmentally important areas including cave systems,
inshore marine habitats, and coastal habitats such as beaches, dune areas, rocky
coastlines, and mangrove areas, has been destruction of them due to development.
Pollution from run-off of animal wastes from livestock, and fertilisers and pesticides
from vegetable farming also threaten many inland wetland areas.
The Bermuda Plan 1992 is structured with conservation zones and development overlay
zones. Those sites which have a recognised environmental value have a conservation
designation. Figure 36 shows the relationship in acres between of the development zones
and the underlying conservation areas. The Open Space development zone contains a
total of 4,448 acres of nature reserve, national park, woodland reserve, woodland,
agricultural, recreation, and green space conservation areas which contribute to creating
continuous green belts throughout the Island. The Rural development zone covers a total
of 627 acres and includes parcels of agricultural land, woodland and natural habitats and
make a major contribution to the visual quality and character of the Island. Together
these 5,075 acres account for 34% of the Island landmass.
Page 63 of 97
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Development Zone
Conservation Zone
Co
Ci mm
ty
er
cia
of
l
H
am
i
G
ov lt on
er
nm
In ent
du
s
In rt ria
st i
l
tu
t
i
on
O
pe
al
n
Sp
Re
a
sid ce
e
Re nt ia
sid l 1
en
t ia
l2
Ru
ra
To l
ur
ism
Acreage
Figure 36: The Bermuda Plan 1992 Development and Conservation Zones
Source: The Bermuda Plan 1992, Department of Planning
Over the years Bermuda has seen an increase in development and redevelopment of sites
throughout the Island. Growing economic and social demands are creating pressures for
additional development. The Island’s lush wooded areas, agricultural fields, open spaces,
recreation areas and public parks provide a break from the built up urban environment but
the pressure to develop these lands will increase over time as Bermuda continues to
prosper within the world economy.
The Bermuda Plan 1992’s zoning maps comprise three overlaying layers of zonings:- the
development zone layer, the conservation area layer and the protection area layer. Whilst
this overlay system has the advantage of allowing multiple issues to be addressed at once
for particular sites, consultations with key stakeholders have indicated that the overlay
system of development and conservation zones has proved confusing. In addition, some
of the zoning categories (and their associated policies) have caused interpretation
problems, for example the Rural development zone.
The dual development zone/conservation area zoning system acts as a compromise to
conserving the environmental elements of a property until such time as a suitable,
sensitive development is proposed. This is particularly important where there are
existing registered lots which are undeveloped and undefined in the absence of a land
registry system.
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Figure 37: Open Space Lands
It is proposed that the new Plan will have a system of ‘base zones’, both development and
conservation base zones, which provides for greater clarity and distinction between the
objectives of each zone in terms of what level and type of development is permitted. The
new Plan will build on the conservation goals, objectives and policies of the Bermuda
Plan 1992 which are to conserve and protect the Island’s natural environment. New
conservation base zones for nature reserves, parks, coastal areas, recreation and other
open space areas will be established to provide protection to these areas by limiting
development to ensure that it is sensitive to the natural environment. In addition
conservation areas and protection areas which overlay the base zones will be established
for woodland reserves, agricultural land, caves, ground water protection areas, the
historic environment and the approach to the airport. The Rural zone will remain as a
development base zone which allows for a limited amount of new development to a scale,
type and form which is compatible with the rural character of the land.
One key objective of the new Plan will be to preserve Bermuda’s natural and cultural
heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of present and future generations. It is
recognized that if not managed in a careful, comprehensive manner, additional
development could easily alter the very features that make Bermuda special. The role of
the new Plan is to determine appropriate zones and policies and to effectively manage
development and growth while protecting and preserving the environment.
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4.11.2 Nature Reserves and National Parks
The National Parks Act 1986 currently protects 119 acres of land as Category A National
Parks (nature reserves) and 673 acres as Category B National Parks (amenity parks). The
Bermuda Plan 1992 zones all government owned parks and nature reserves as National
Park (760 acres) and other privately owned nature reserves as Nature Reserve (436
acres).
The Department of Parks is in the process of making amendments to the National Parks
Act 1986 to incorporate additional areas as Nature Reserves (54 acres), Parks (102 acres)
and Marine Parks (435 acres) (see Table 14).
Additional
Nature
Reserves
o Abbots
Cliff
o Cooper’s
Island
Additional Parks
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Railway Trail
Barnes Corner
Fort St. Catherine
Virginia Park
Portions of Crow Lane
Portions of Hog Bay
Park
Shelly Bay Park
Ducks Puddle Annexe
Blue Hole /
Walsingham Marine
Reserve
Parson’s Road
Playground and phase
II
Harrington Sound Park
William F. Wilson
Memorial Park
Clearwater and Turtle
Bay Park
Military Cemetery St.
Georges
Zuill’s Park
Prospect Cemetery
New Marine Parks
o Smith’s Parish
Community Park
o Royal Naval Field
o Bernard’s Park
o Garrison’s Field
o W&E Quarry
Field
o Shelly Bay Field
& Basketball
Court
o Paget Island
o Olivebank Field
o Flatts Field
o Pig’s Field
o Loraine
Playground
o Loyal Hill
o My Lords Bay
o St. John’s Road
o Death Valley
Playground
o Watford Bridge
Cemetery
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Daniel’s Head
Somerset Long Bay
Church Bay
Southshore Marine
Park (will include
Horseshoe Bay,
Chaplin Bay &
Warwick Long Bay)
Astwood
Shelly Bay
Spittal Pond
John Smith’s Bay (to
include Watch Hill,
John Smith’s Bay &
Newton Bay)
Walsingham
(already exists but
should be Marine
Park)
Castle Islands (to
include Castle Island
and Nonsuch Island)
Cooper’s Island
Tobacco Bay
(Tobacco Bay,
Achilles Bay and
Fort St. Catherine)
Table 14: Proposed Amendments to the National Parks Act 1986
One particularly significant area to have come back into Government ownership since the
commencement of the Bermuda Plan 1992 is the area known as ‘Cooper’s Island’.
‘Cooper’s Island’ includes Clearwater Beach Park, the existing Cooper’s Island Nature
Reserve and the area formerly occupied by the United States National Aeronautics and
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Space Administration (NASA). The whole area comprises some 77 acres of land and is
one of the largest tracts of relatively undeveloped land remaining in Bermuda. The
former NASA site comprises 39 acres and is not included in any existing development
plan. The remainder of the site is designated with a preferred use of ‘Recreational and
Open Space’ under the Development Plan for the Former Military Bases (1996).
Cooper’s Island is an extremely important site environmentally, both locally and
internationally. The Ministry of the Environment’s Cooper’s Island Land Use and
Management Proposals Plan (2005) details the area’s rich ecological and cultural
significance and the proposed future uses and activities for the area. The Cooper’s Island
Plan proposes the incorporation of Clearwater Beach Park and Cooper’s Island into the
national parks system under the National Parks Act 1986 and the designation of the area
in part as Park and in part as Nature Reserve under the new Bermuda Plan to provide for
the educational, recreational and social enjoyment of Bermuda’s children, residents and
visitors.
Figure 38: Cooper's Island
The main policies of the National Park and Nature Reserve Conservation Areas under the
Bermuda Plan 1992 have worked reasonably well. However the policies require some
updating to better reflect the changes that have occurred in the intervening 15 years. It is
intended, in the new Plan, to provide more protection for Bermuda’s nature reserves and
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parks. For example setback provisions will also be reviewed and amended to ensure
these areas are protected from development and activities on neighbouring land uses,
particularly industrial uses.
The Bermuda Plan 1992 National Park zoning covers two very different types of land
uses - amenity parks and nature reserves - but all fall under government ownership. It is
intended that the Park zoning in the new Plan will be used to designate amenity parks
only and that government owned Nature Reserves will be zoned as Nature Reserves.
Some areas of exceptionally high quality and environmentally important Woodland areas
may also be zoned as Nature Reserves in accordance with the advice of the Government
Conservation Officer.
It is proposed that the new Plan will permit some development within Park zones but
development will be limited to that which supports and enhances the management and
public use of the area. Similarly, the new Plan will permit a minimal amount of
development within Nature Reserve zones but it will be limited to that which is deemed
absolutely necessary for the running and enhancement of the nature reserves.
4.11.3 Recreation and Leisure
The availability of a good range and quality of recreation and leisure facilities is
increasingly recognised as an important influence on a community’s health, cultural and
social well-being. In addition, recreational areas have an amenity and environmental
value since they enhance the built environment and provide an important component of
the Island’s network of open spaces.
Sport and recreation have long been an important part of Bermuda’s way of life with the
Island’s most notable holiday, Cup Match, focused around the game of cricket.
Considering its small size, Bermuda has a wide range of recreation and leisure facilities
including cricket fields, sports pitches, the National Stadium, school fields, children’s
playgrounds and golf courses.
According to the UK National Playing Fields Association, the ‘Six Acre Standard’ is the
planner's guide to ensure that sufficient land is set aside in appropriate locations to enable
people of all ages to participate in outdoor play and recreation. The minimum standard is
6 acres per 1,000 people for outdoor playing space, of which 4 acres is for outdoor sport
and 2 acres is for children's play. Based on the Department of Planning’s Open Space
Survey 2000/2001, there is some 939 acres of land used for outdoor sports (86% of which
is used as golf courses). Bermuda’s total of 17 acres of open space recreational area per
1,000 population appears to far exceed the UK standards; however if golf courses are
deducted, the average falls to 4 acres which is below the UK standard. Bermuda’s 2
acres per 1,000 population for children’s play areas equates to the UK standard, however
86% of this land is school play areas (see Table 15).
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Type of
Open
Space
Outdoor
sports
areas
Children's
play areas
Parish
Golf
Courses
Playing
Fields
Educational
OS
Acres
per
1,000
pop. 65,245
(2015
pop.
proj.)
939
15
14
117
2
2
Total
acres
SY
SN
WR
PG
PM
DV
SM
HM
GE
5
198
171
11
0
77
0
128
219
809
28
3
6
0
21
42
5
5
21
131
8
10
20
9
26
6
6
2
14
101
0
1
16
Community
Playspace
3
0
9
0
3
0
0
Source: Open Space Survey 2000/2001, The Department of Planning
Acres
per
1,000
pop. 62,059
(2000
Census)
Table 15: Open Space used for Recreational Purposes
The Bermuda Plan designates 839 acres of land as Recreation, representing 6% of all
land in Bermuda and 7% of all land zoned under the Bermuda Plan (which excludes the
City of Hamilton and the former baselands). The majority of Recreation zones overlay
an Open Space zoning (87%), while a significant portion overlap an Institutional Zone
(8%) and comprise school fields and pitches. The parishes of St. George’s, Warwick and
Southampton have the highest percentages of recreational zoned land reflecting the high
number of golf courses (7 of the Island’s 9) in these parishes.
During the Bermuda Plan 1992 period (1994 to 2005) almost 8 acres of land zoned as
Recreation was lost through development, almost 2 acres of which was lost at Tucker’s
Point Club. This compares to the total 60 acres of Recreation zoned land lost over the
course of the 1983 Bermuda Plan.
Comments received from key stakeholders indicate that the number of full sized sports
pitches is insufficient to meet the demands of the Island’s current organised sporting
activities. This is evidenced by the deteriorating state of sport pitches caused from
overuse. There is likely to be a continuing increase in demand for recreation facilities in
the future as the result of increasing leisure time, affluence, and desirability to increase
adult and child participation in sport and recreation for health and other reasons. In
addition, Bermuda’s growing population, estimated to reach 65,245 by 2015, is going to
put additional demands on Bermuda’s existing recreational facilities.
The new Plan will need to ensure that an adequate supply of recreational land is provided
which is accessible to the general public and of good quality to benefit the community.
The policies and zonings in the new Bermuda Plan will seek to both protect and expand
the number and size of recreational areas. It is proposed that the Recreation Zone in the
new Bermuda Plan will cover those areas where active, organized sporting activities
occur. Some 15 acres of land zoned Recreation under the Bermuda Plan 1992 is used as
amenity parks, such as the community playgrounds, and these lands will be upgraded to a
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Park zoning. It is proposed to expand some existing Recreation zones and to zone new
Recreation areas totaling some 15 acres. It is also proposed that a 20 feet development
setback be imposed around golf courses where they abut residential and tourism areas.
With regard to new residential developments, the new Plan will need to ensure that
sufficient, well planned, and designed communal open space areas are provided to meet
the requirements of residents in terms of the provision of amenity areas, play areas,
playgrounds and kick-about areas.
4.11.4 The Coastal and Marine Environment
Bermuda has a comparatively large extent of coastline (290 km or 180 miles) in contrast
to its small land area (21 sq. miles). The Island’s coastal areas are important for the
natural and scenic qualities of the islands, coastline, cliffs, beaches, dunes, rock
formations and caves. Coastal areas and their adjoining inshore waters also contain
important flora and fauna, nesting sites and habitats including longtail nests, seagrass
beds, corals, mangroves and salt marshes. Bermuda also comprises many islands which
vary in size and are significant for their scenic and environmental qualities.
Figure 39: House on South Shore, post Hurricane Fabian
There are an average of between 40 and 50 planning applications received each year for
some form of foreshore development including docks, jetties, seawalls, slips, boathouses
and marinas. Whilst marinas are preferred to swing moorings which have a scouring
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effect on the seabed, their impacts on the marine environment also need to be carefully
considered.
Global climate change will mean that Bermuda’s coastline and coastal habitats will be
increasingly at risk from wave energy, storm surge, flooding and erosion.
In July 2003, the Ministry of the Environment commissioned consultants Smith Warner
International (SWI) to undertake a coastal erosion vulnerability assessment and to
prepare coastal protection and development planning guidelines for Bermuda. The study
was completed in November 2004 and its recommendations are based on first hand
experience of observations made and lessons learned following the passage of Hurricane
Fabian in September 2003 (see Figure 39).
The Coastal Protection and Development Planning Guidelines for Bermuda and The
Bermuda Coastal Erosion Vulnerability Assessment Reports provide information on
coastal erosion, cliff failure, shoreline protection works, storm surge and wave inundation
levels. One of the mains recommendations of the reports is the need to establish
appropriate setbacks for development. Development setbacks or ‘step-ups’ can be
established based on storm surge and wave run up levels. The study stated that “the
amount of setback to be used will depend primarily on the slope of the shoreline, the
nearshore bathymetry, the rate of erosion of the shoreline and the geotechnical stability
of the rock strata along the shoreline. While existing developments are already too close
to the shoreline, this must be considered in the siting of new developments.” Other
recommendations from the reports include:
o The establishment of minimum floor elevations above sea level;
o The appropriate design, materials and location of structures such as seawalls;
revetments and breakwaters, and the establishment of benign natural features such
as sand dunes or sand bars;
o The need for a ‘community based approach’ to the implementation of appropriate
shoreline protection; and
o The requirement that jetties and docks ideally be located in areas where wave
heights are less than 0.3 meters for 90% of the time.
The public’s concern with overdevelopment on the Island was clearly demonstrated in the
responses to the 2005 Public Perception Study on Sustainable Development with 85%
expressing concern (58% were very concerned and 27% were somewhat concerned). In
addition, 66% of respondents indicated that the protection of the marine environment is
‘critically important’ to the long term success of Bermuda and 56% of respondents
indicated that the protection of open space is ‘critically important’. The Sustainable
Development Strategy and Implementation Plan (Draft 2005) makes recommendations
with regard to maximizing the use of Bermuda’s marine environment without exploiting
and damaging it.
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The new Bermuda Plan will take these recommendations into account together with new
pieces of legislation and research that have been put into place since the Bermuda Plan
1992 (including the Protected Species Act 2003 and the Coastal Erosion Study) to
provide more informed policies and planning regulations with regard to protecting the
Island’s valuable marine and terrestrial environment. The Plan will establish a Coastal
Reserve zone to regulate development along the coastline and on small islands to
preserve their natural and scenic qualities.
4.12 Environmental Analysis
4.12.1 Environmental Information
One of the Bermuda Plan 1992’s key objectives is to ensure that the scale, density and
design of development are sensitive to a site’s physical and environmental characteristics.
This has been achieved through the 1992 Plan’s environmental analysis policies and
environmental impact statement policies which are in place to ensure that the technical
officers and Development Applications Board have all the pertinent information relating
to the environmental effects of a proposed development to enable then to determine a
planning application, as required by section 10, the Development and Planning
Application Procedure Rules.
Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) are required for major development proposals
and any other development project which requires a careful examination of the potential
impacts of the development prior to the determination of the application, such as
developments which are proposed in particularly sensitive locations or which involve
complex and potentially adverse environmental effects. EISs are important not only for
the technical officers, Development Applications Board and Minister to make more
informed decisions about whether a development should be permitted and what planning
conditions are necessary in order to control the design, enhance the benefits of the
scheme and avoid or mitigate any adverse effects; EIS are also of great benefit to
applicants and developers to help determine any potential problems or risks associated
with a development at the design stage.
Development proposals which usually require the submission of an EIS include large
scale residential or hotel development schemes, power plants and water supply systems,
sewage treatment and disposal systems, solid waste disposal systems, major quarrying
operations, major industrial development, reclamation projects and marinas. Since 1992,
the Department of Planning has reviewed approximately 21 EISs.
The Department of Planning is a member of the U.K. Institute of Environmental
Management and Assessment (IEMA) and as such is able to send EISs to the IEMA for
review of the scope and structure of the EIS. The Department is in the process of
preparing guidelines on the production of EISs which will include guidelines provided by
the IEMA, and will supplement the environmental analysis policies in the new Plan.
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4.12.2 Woodland and Conservation Management Plans
The Bermuda Plan 1992 (paragraph WDL.1) requires applicants to apply to the Minister
to carry management work within areas designated as Woodland or Woodland Reserve.
The Department of Planning’s guidance note on Woodland Management Plans details the
information required in the submission. The objective of a Woodland Management Plan
is to establish a plan to improve biodiversity, reduce invasive species, protect native and
endemic species, encourage the integrity and connectivity of woodlands, and encourage
best management practices within woodland areas.
The Department of Planning has received, assessed and approved a total of 52 Woodland
Management Plans, covering a total area of approximately 76 acres of rehabilitated
woodland. The schemes range from the removal of single specimen trees to larger scale
systematic clearing of pest species and replanting with native and/or endemic species.
Schemes related to large tracts of land may be ongoing for a number of years and are
required to be monitored by technical officers to ensure proper management.
It is proposed that the new Plan will include greater provisions for ensuring the proper
maintenance and management of important flora and fauna, woodland, natural habitats
and amenity areas, by requiring the submission of a Conservation Management Plan
(CMP) for any development proposal located within a nature reserve, coastal, agricultural
or woodland reserve conservation area. Development proposals located within park,
open space reserve or recreation conservation areas will also be required to establish a
CMP to protect and enhance woodland and habitat areas. In addition, CMPs will be
encouraged for the ongoing maintenance of all conservation lands irrespective of whether
development is proposed within them. CMPs will detail measures for maintaining and
managing conservation areas to provide for greater biodiversity, reduce invasive species,
and encourage the planting of native and endemic species.
It is recognized that woodland areas contain a variety of plant and tree species which
change over time. However, the primary objective will be to protect the woodland
regardless of whether it contains endemic, native, introduced or invasive species, in order
to preserve the land resource and vegetation over the course of time. In addition,
woodland areas may contain open space areas with dispersed vegetation, cliffs, rocky
formations, ditches, ponds, steep slopes and other natural features which are an integral
part of the woodland’s environmental, visual and amenity value, and which require
protection.
4.12.3 Section 34 agreements
Section 34 of the Development and Planning Act 1974 gives provision for the Minister to
enter into an agreement with any person interested in land for the purpose of restricting or
regulating development or use of the land either permanently or for a specified time
period.
Since 1992, 123 section 34 agreements have been issued; however, a number have been
modified and 3 of the agreements have been revoked. In total, there are currently 120
section 34 agreements currently in place, covering some 268 acres of land. Of the 120,
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103 section 34 agreements involve the protection of conservation lands, accounting for
some 259 acres or 97% of the total land subject to a section 34 agreements.
Section 34 agreements will continue to be used as a valuable tool for restricting and
regulating development or use of the land on a site by site basis.
4.12.4 Environmental Initiatives
In recent years, there have been a number of key developments in terms of Bermuda’s
commitment to protecting its fragile environment. These include the following:o The Bermuda Biological Country Study (2001) and the Bermuda
Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan (2003), both of which emphasize the
preservation of habitats and conservation of endemic and native species;
o The Environmental Charter which was accepted by Government in
September 2001 when Bermuda became signatories to the UK overseas
territories Charter;
o The Protected Species Act 2003 which came into force in March 2004 and
mandates that critical habitats and endangered species be protected or
restored;
o The Ministry of the Environment, Telecommunication and E-Commerce’s
Environmental Grant Scheme which was introduced in 2003 and provides
grants of $100,000 twice a year ($200,000 each year) for a variety of
environmental projects, with a maximum of $10,000 per project.
o The Ministry of the Environment, Telecommunication and E-Commerce’s
production of Bermuda’s first State of the Environment Report (2005); and
o The establishment of Government’s Sustainable Development Unit and the
production of the “Charting Our Course” Draft Sustainable Development
Strategy and Implementation Plan (SDSIP) (2006).
The environmental objectives and policies of the new Plan will reflect and complement
the goals and recommendations of these and other Government environmental initiatives
and programmes. Technical officers will also utilize the valuable information collected
as part of these initiatives in their decision making to ensure that the use, scale, density,
form and design of development are sensitive to a site’s physical and environmental
characteristics, and that new development does not have a detrimental impact on the
natural, human or built environments of an area.
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4.13 Design and Landscaping
4.13.1 Design
Bermuda’s unique, traditional architecture is a strong visual representation of the Island’s
culture and history. Its distinctive building designs, such as the white stepped limestone
roofs (see Figure 40), offers tourists a ‘nowhere else in the world’ sense of place while
simultaneously evoking a strong sense of pride among its local inhabitants. This
distinctive urban fabric serves as comforting aesthetic appeal while helping Bermudians
to connect to the Island’s past. Many of these traditional architectural features are
described and illustrated in the Department of Planning and Bermuda National Trust’s
Traditional Building Guide (2002). The Guide shows why the Island’s traditional
buildings have developed in such a distinctive way, how they have changed over
centuries, and what we can do to preserve them so that they enrich the lives of future
generations.
Figure 40: Bermuda's distinctive white pitched roofs
One of the Bermuda Plan 1992’s key objectives is “to encourage a high standard of
design and landscaping in all new developments” which is in accordance with “the
Bermuda Image”. “The Bermuda Image” (paragraph 3.2) is described as comprising
such features as traditional building form and architecture, Bermuda stone walls, vibrant
colours, lush sub-tropical vegetation, gently rolling hillsides, and scenic coastlines and
vistas. Whilst this concept has provided a useful yardstick against which to assess the
design principles of development schemes, it is nevertheless generally agreed that the
concept is fairly subjective. In addition, although it is important for the Island to retain
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its traditional architecture, it is also important that opportunities are allowed for other
architectural styles, building forms, industry products, and design principles which are
reflective of today’s modern materials and methods. Some key stakeholders, for
example, are keen to see more ‘iconic’ architecture on the Island, whilst others are keen
to introduce more energy efficient building designs.
It is proposed that the new Plan will elaborate on “the Bermuda Image” concept by
including design principles (and design guidelines) for specific areas which address their
unique sense of place. Any new development proposed within the Town of St. George or
Dockyard, for example, will be expected to be compatible with the architecture, character
and appearance of these historic areas. In other areas, however, such as Southside which
is an emerging community, there would be greater opportunity to permit more modern
forms of architecture.
The over-riding objective, in the new Plan, will continue to be that of ensuring a high
quality of design in all new development. The new Plan is also likely to include new
policies with regard to encouraging the use of energy efficient measures in site planning
and building design, and ensuring that all new buildings and alterations to existing
buildings are accessible to persons with physical disabilities.
4.13.2 Landscaping
Vegetation, topography, visual quality and indigenous site features of Bermuda have long
formed an important cultural resource of the Island, and underpin the Island’s economic
success and high quality of life. Proper landscaping and design adds property value,
controls harsh climatic conditions, limits erosion, reduces energy consumption and
improves public health.
The Bermuda Plan 1992 requires the submission of a Landscape Scheme as part of any
final planning application involving a subdivision application proposing a new estate
road, the development of a vacant lot, and a development proposing a 50% or more
increase in the existing site coverage. The Department of Planning’s “Landscape Design
Guide” (1992) and “Growing with Trees” (1999) booklet provide useful landscape
guidelines for applicants and developers. The Department also offers a Plant Voucher
Scheme for all new development as a means of encouraging a high standard of
landscaping.
In addition, Section 27 of the Development and Planning Act 1974 gives the Minister
authority to place a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) on any trees, groups of trees or
woodlands to prohibit the cutting down, topping, lopping or wilful destruction of them.
There are currently 36 TPOs and these include either single specimens or groups of
specimens. Department of Planning records indicate that an average of 2 TPOs where
issued per year from 1975 to 1991. However, from 1992 onwards, only 3 TPOs have
been issued. With the increased demand for development threatening the natural
environment, it is surprising that there have not been more TPOs issued in the course of
the Bermuda Plan 1992.
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Figure 41: Landscaping of car park areas
Discussions with key stakeholders revealed that the main concerns with regard to
landscaping relate to the enforcement of landscaping provisions and conditions, and their
lower priority compared to other construction and development activities.
The new Plan will continue to encourage a high standard of landscaping in all new
developments and ensure that development sites are properly landscaped and planted in
accordance with an approved landscape plan. Existing vegetation will be retained and
protected, and damaged sites repaired, as much as possible. The new Plan will emphasise
the importance of landscaping through clear objectives and strengthened landscaping
policies.
It is also recommended that the Department of Planning review its standard landscaping
conditions of planning approval, explore opportunities for achieving more effective
enforcement of landscaping policies (such as through the collection of landscape
inspection fees, refundable security deposits, further subsidies on landscape materials
etc), and increase its use of Tree Preservation Orders to protect specimen trees.
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5.0 The New Bermuda Plan
5.1 Vision and Planning Strategies for the new Bermuda Plan
5.1.1 The Vision
The vision set out in the Bermuda Plan 1992 Planning Statement was:“To maintain the quality of life in Bermuda by wise use of resources and by
effectively controlling and directing development so as to safeguard the
environment, and as a consequence, the economic, cultural, social and general
welfare of the people” (paragraph 1.4 of the Bermuda Plan 1992 Planning
Statement refers).
Whilst the sentiments of this vision of nearly 15 years ago remain appropriate today, it is
recommended that the wording of the vision for the new plan be amended to better reflect
the Government’s vision of ‘sustainable development’ as well as the principles of the
Environment Charter to which Bermuda is a signatory.
The Government’s “Charting Our Course” Draft Sustainable Development Strategy and
Implementation Plan (SDSIP) provides a framework based on five key themes within
which Government can set policies and make considered decisions regarding the Island’s
future development. The Draft SDSIP provides the Department of Planning with clear
directions with regard to future development and conservation strategies for the Island
and helps to formulate a new vision for the new Bermuda Plan.
Within the framework of the Draft SDSIP , it is proposed that the general vision or aim
for the new Bermuda Plan will be to consider relevant economic, environmental and
social factors and set out planning policies and land use zonings based on estimated
future development needs with the objective of accommodating those needs in the most
sustainable way. As such, the vision for the new Bermuda Plan is proposed to be:“To effectively manage Bermuda’s natural and built environment, resources
and development in a sustainable way which best provides for the
environmental, economic and social needs of the community”.
5.1.2 Planning Strategies
In order to achieve the three main aspects of this vision, the new Bermuda Plan will be
based on 3 interrelated strategies:- a Conservation Strategy, a Development Strategy and
a Social Strategy. These strategies will complement the five themes contained in the
Draft SDSIP for Bermuda which are:-
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•
•
•
•
•
Theme 1: Building and Maintaining a Strong Economy
Theme 2: Transforming Governance and the Public Sector
Theme 3: Protecting and Enhancing our Natural Resources and Environment
Theme 4: Sustaining our Communities
Theme 5: Living within Bermuda’s Limits
In addition, these strategies will complement a number of the guiding principles of the
Environment Charter for the UK Overseas Territories, in particular Bermuda’s
commitment:•
•
(a)
To identify environmental opportunities, costs and risks in all policies and
strategies; and
To aim for solutions which benefit both the environment and development.
Conservation Strategy
The new Bermuda Plan will continue the 1992 Bermuda Plan’s goal of conserving open
space but will do so by focusing more intently on conserving the most valuable areas of
nature reserve, parkland, woodland and agriculture, by designating certain new areas as
nature reserves and parks, and by strengthening certain conservation policies to ensure
that they more effectively achieve their intended objective. These conservation areas will
continue to be protected as designated areas in accordance with s.28 of the Development
and Planning Act 1974.
The designation and protection of conservation areas is a critical component of the new
Plan, and Government should explore the option of establishing a system for the funding
and acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands. The Draft SDSIP (June 2006), option
3.1.A.7, recommends that funding for the protection and creation of open space could be
increased through the use of Section 33 of the Development and Planning Act 1974. As a
means of acquiring more environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, the new Plan
could introduce a policy which allows for property owners of rural or open space zoned
lands to optionally exchange portions of these conservation lands for increased
development potential on the developable portion of their property.
Another option is to consider, in conjunction with the publication of the new (Draft) Plan,
the introduction of a government ‘environment’ fee requiring the payment of funds on the
submission of a planning application or building permit application, and the fee would be
based on a sliding scale or per square foot basis. Funding for the preservation of
environmentally sensitive areas would be raised through these developer contributions as
well as through the purchase of open space land by Government’s and other private
groups (for example Buy Back Bermuda).
The Conservation Strategy for the new Plan will comprise the following directives:•
protecting ecologically sensitive areas and habitats;
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•
•
•
•
(b)
protecting and rehabilitating existing open spaces;
designating new areas for conservation as open space;
providing for the protection of historic or architecturally important buildings and
areas; and
encouraging energy efficient building design and the development of renewable
energy sources.
Development Strategy
It is estimated that Bermuda’s population will reach 65,245 by the year 2015. This
increased population will have housing, employment, educational, recreational and health
care needs, all of which need to be allocated sufficient land in the new Bermuda Plan.
With the Island’s open space resources rapidly diminishing, the new Plan will put greater
policy emphasis on directing new development to previously developed sites and
encouraging the development of existing lots rather than new subdivisions of land.
The City of Hamilton is the main commercial centre and the centralization of activities in
the City results in a large portion of the population entering the City on a daily basis.
This daily infiltration into the City causes a great deal of traffic and infrastructural
pressure on the City. The desire for most businesses to locate within the City limits the
opportunities for other areas of the Island to experience growth. There are areas beyond
the City which have the potential and capacity in terms of land availability and
infrastructure including public transport, road, sewage, water, electricity to support
additional growth. Managed growth in selected areas could economically and physically
benefit the surrounding communities and could alleviate some of the pressure on the City
of Hamilton.
In order to promote development at identified urban centres around the Island, it is
proposed that the new Plan provide incentives and greater flexibility with regard to
permitted land uses, building heights and densities for certain areas designated as mixed
use development zones and commercial development zones. The objective will be to
create larger “community centres” within the Mixed Use zones and “neighbourhood
commercial centres” in the Commercial zones.
The community centres will be able to accommodate a variety of land uses including
office, retail, restaurant, tourism, light industrial and multi-unit residential. The broad
range of land uses is intended to attract businesses, employees, consumers and residents
to increase the economic activity and vitality of these areas, and to create balanced
communities with the ability for residents to live, work, play, shop, gather and recreate
within these areas. This would decrease the need for individuals to travel into the City on
a daily basis, and decrease the need to use the private car to access goods and services.
Neighbourhood commercial centres will have a similar function to community centres
but serve a more local catchment area. In terms of future development within these
centres, some areas may benefit from a greater diversification of land uses and additional
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development potential in terms of permitted building heights. The new Plan will
introduce bonus incentives to facilitate the desired growth in these centres.
In accommodating additional development in the larger commercial centres as well as the
local neighbourhood commercial centres, the new Plan’s policies will emphasise the
importance of traffic management, pedestrian connectivity, preservation of residential
amenity and the historic environment, and high quality urban design and landscaping in
these areas.
The new Plan will also encourage higher density residential development and compact
residential lots in the residential areas surrounding neighbourhood commercial centres
and the outskirts of the City of Hamilton. Density and building height bonuses will be
introduced as a means of encouraging the development of affordable housing in the
surrounding residential areas. The new Plan will aim for the optimum use of land in the
allowance of higher densities of development but this will not be to the detriment of the
quality of residential accommodation and the amenity of residential areas.
Proposed Mixed Use Zones / Community Centres
Historic Community Centre: Dockyard
The main objective for this area will be to support the growth of the Dockyard area as a
self-sustaining livable community and visitor destination with a unique architecture and
significant historical character. Through the proposed Mixed Use zoning, a variety of
residential, retail, office, institutional, recreational, tourism, cultural and marine uses will
be permitted and the policies for this area will aim to:(a) encourage development which contributes to the quality of life, culture and
identity of the unique historic environment;
(b) encourage sensitive adaptive re-use of historic buildings for a variety of purposes;
(c) encourage a high standard of design and landscaping in new signature and
contemporary developments, while complementing the Bermuda Image;
(d) support the role of Dockyard as a key transportation centre offering expanded and
frequent transport choices; and
(e) provide for the orderly development, expansion and upgrading of existing
facilities.
New urban community centre: Southside
The main objective for this area will be to support the growth of the Southside area as a
new urban community centre which accommodates a variety of residential, commercial
and light industrial land uses and allows for modern and innovative building design. The
policies for this area will aim to:(a) develop a new urban community centre to serve the immediate St. David’s area
and to complement the services and activities provided in the Town of St. George;
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(b) provide for a variety of complementary land uses;
(c) promote innovative and modern building designs while still respecting the
Bermuda Image, and encourage a high standard of landscaping; and
(d) regulate building height and land use in accordance with the Airport’s regulations.
Historic community centre: Town of St. George
The main objective for this area will be to promote the development of the Town of St.
George as a livable and thriving historic community centre and prestigious World
Heritage Site. The new Plan will promote the adaptive use of historic buildings for a
wide range of commercial uses to achieve higher occupancy levels within the Town’s
existing buildings. Land uses which provide a wide range of services to residents and
visitors and are compatible with the historic built environment will be encouraged. The
policies for this area will aim to:(a) encourage development which complements and contributes to the historical
significance, culture and identity of the Town as a World Heritage Site;
(b) encourage a mix of uses to serve the community through the adaptive re-use of
historic buildings;
(c) encourage the repair of existing historic buildings; and
(d) ensure new development is sensitive to the historical significance of the area.
Proposed Commercial Areas / Neighbourhood Commercial Centres:
Neighbourhood Centres: Somerset Village, Somerset Road, Riddell’s Bay, Warwick
Central, Flatts Village, Paget Plaza, Paget Central, Shelly Bay Plaza, Collector’s Hill,
Brighton Hill
The main objective will be to utilize these commercially zoned lands to capacity to
provide a wide range of retail, service commercial and office uses to meet the needs of
local residents and visitors in a variety of centres across the Island. Higher density
residential development and compact residential lots will be encouraged in residential
zoned areas adjacent to neighbourhood commercial centres. The policies for these areas
will aim to:(a) promote high occupancy levels in existing units within neighbourhood
commercial centres;
(b) broaden the permitted uses and allow for increased building heights to add greater
flexibility and development opportunity;
(c) promote development near public transport nodes and improved pedestrian access
within and around neighbourhood commercial centres; and
(d) encourage residential uses on the upper floors of commercial buildings.
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City of Hamilton Periphery: East Broadway and Pitts Bay Road
The main objective for these areas will be to permit land uses on the City’s periphery
which support the City of Hamilton as the Island’s main centre for commerce.
Transitional uses, such as medium and high density residential development, that provide
buffers between the City and adjacent land uses will be encouraged. Density and
building height bonuses will be introduced as a means of encouraging this form of
development. Higher density residential development and compact residential lots will
be encouraged in residential zoned areas adjacent to the City periphery. The policies for
these areas will aim to:(a) promote land uses that support the City of Hamilton as the Island’s main centre of
commerce; and
(b) provide transitional uses between the City centre and adjacent areas, such as
medium and high density residential development.
Figure 42: Existing Urban Centres and Potential Growth Areas
The new Plan will also support Government’s designation of Economic Empowerment
Zones (EEZs) as a means of improving the local economy, supporting existing businesses
and encouraging new investment and development within certain areas. Examples of
current EEZ incentives include decreased interest rates, funding available for building
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improvements and exemption of work permit requirements. EEZs can be located
throughout the Island and can be tailored to suit the specific needs of the area.
The Development Strategy for the new Plan will comprise the following directives:•
•
•
•
•
•
•
directing new development onto previously used ‘brownfield’ or developed sites;
providing for mixed use development in key areas;
providing for cluster housing schemes and higher residential densities in specific
locations as a means of reducing the pressure on greenfield sites;
encouraging the development of community areas around key transport nodes;
encouraging a high quality of design in all new developments;
encouraging the economic rejuvenation of certain areas; and
ensuring that transport planning issues become a more integrated part of the
overall planning process for development proposals.
(c) Social Strategy
The new Bermuda Plan will address those social issues which have land use planning
implications in order to make Bermuda a better place for everyone to live, for instance by
encouraging the development of a range of housing types to meet the needs of the elderly
and low income households. The new Plan will also provide for the accessibility needs
of the disabled and less mobile through good quality design in all developments.
The new Plan will encourage the redevelopment and improvement of key areas which
range from extensive areas such as Morgan’s Point to smaller areas which warrant closer
attention and physical improvement such as those addressed by the Ministry of the
Environment’s Community Areas Programme. The Department of Planning has
previously undertaken studies of Flatts Village and St. Monica’s Mission area, and
similar such studies should be conducted in the future.
The former military baselands of Morgan’s Point and Tudor Hill are large, strategic sites.
The redevelopment of these sites through a combination of different land uses could
contribute significantly to meeting the new Plan’s three pronged vision of providing for
the environmental, economic and social needs of the Island. The new Plan will provide
the new statutory planning framework for Morgan’s Point and Tudor Hill by setting some
broad objectives and criteria to be met in any redevelopment proposals for these areas.
These criteria will reflect the feedback received from the various Ministries as part of the
Government’s Sustainable Development initiative which include provisions for open
space, recreation, culture, housing, tourism and public transportation. The new Plan will
recognise that these are significant areas worthy of much more detailed study and will
therefore zone them as ‘special study areas’ for which local plans will be produced.
The Social Strategy for the new Plan will comprise the following directives:•
•
encouraging the development of a range of housing types including affordable
housing, elderly housing and group housing;
provision for accessibility for the disabled and less mobile; and
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•
encouraging the redevelopment and improvement of key areas.
5.2 Goals and Objectives of the new Bermuda Plan
Within the framework of these three planning strategies, the objectives and policies of the new
Bermuda Plan will be based on the following 5 broad goals or principles:(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
To conserve open space and protect the Island’s natural and built heritage
To provide sufficient development potential to meet the community’s needs
To encourage a more efficient and sustainable use and development of land
To encourage the redevelopment and improvement of key areas
To encourage a high quality of design and accessibility in all new developments
The new Pan will achieve these goals through a series of key objectives, each of which will
have a set of related policies. Figure 42 outlines the hierarchical framework for the new
Bermuda Plan, and the interconnection between the themes and objectives of the SDSIP and
the vision, planning strategies, goals, objectives, polices and zonings of the new Bermuda
Plan.
Figure 43: Framework for new Bermuda Plan
Figure 43 lists the key topics and associated objectives under each of the 5 goals as well as
some policy and zoning options to be considered as part of the new Plan.
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Figure 44: Goals and Objectives for the new Bermuda Plan
Topic
Policy options /
Zoning options
Key objectives
Goal/Principle: To conserve open space and protect the Island’s natural and built heritage
Environmental
Impact
Nature
Reserves
To ensure that the use, scale, density and design of
development are sensitive to a site’s physical and
environmental characteristics
To ensure that a development does not have a detrimental
impact on the natural, human or built environments of the
area
To ensure the proper maintenance and management of
flora and fauna, woodland and natural habitats
To protect and conserve areas and features of biological,
ecological, geological or scientific significance
Parks
To protect sufficient land as amenity parkland for the
passive and active recreational enjoyment of the public
Caves
To protect cave entrances and underlying cave systems
through the sensitive and appropriate siting, scale, density
and design of development
To protect the Island’s ground water and other water
resources through the sensitive and appropriate siting,
scale, density and design of development
To protect the environmental, visual and amenity value of
undeveloped land
To maintain visual, physical and natural breaks between
areas of development, and create continuous green belts
and linkages between open spaces and the Railway Trail
To protect and conserve the ecological, natural and scenic
qualities of the coastal areas and islands
To protect the coastal areas and islands from coastal
erosion by minimizing development within these areas and
maintaining their open, natural state
To protect and conserve areas and features of biological
and ecological significance along the coastline and in the
marine environment
To protect the natural and scenic qualities of the coastline
and minimize the physical and visual impact of
development on the coastline and adjacent inshore waters
Ground and
other Water
Resources
Open Space
Reserve
Coastal and
Marine
Environment
Environment
(including Traffic)
Impact Statement
policy
Conservation
Management Plans
Include Government
owned Nature
Reserves within
Nature Reserve
zoning
Include National
Parks and amenity
parks
Additional policies to
protect other water
resources
Coastal Reserve
Page 87 of 97
Topic
Key objectives
Policy options /
Zoning options
To protect the coastline from coastal erosion through
appropriate shoreline protection measures
To protect and enhance woodland areas which are of
ecological, aesthetical and functional importance
To conserve all important agricultural land to support
agricultural, farming and horticultural uses
To conserve agricultural land for its natural and aesthetic
value, and for providing a visual and amenity buffer
between and within development areas
To protect natural features of importance and retain
recreational lands in their open state
To protect and enhance the rural character, natural
environment and visual amenity of large tracts of open
countryside
To limit new development to a scale, type and form which
is compatible with the rural character of the land
To conserve buildings of architectural and historical
importance
To conserve areas of special architectural, historical or
cultural significance
Shoreline protection
standards
To conserve sites of archaeological significance and ensure
archaeological excavation work is conducted prior to
development
New historic
protection areas,
Archaeological digs
policy
Airport Control To control the development and use of land on the
approach to, and within lands adjacent to the Airport, in the
interests of safety and aerial navigation
New Airport
Approach Zone and
associated policies
Woodland
Reserve
Agricultural
Land
Recreation
Rural
Listed
Buildings
Historic Areas
Fortifications
Archaeology
Amend Rural
policies
Listed Building
provisions
New historic
protection areas
Goal/Principle: To provide sufficient development potential to meet the community’s needs
Residential
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To allocate sufficient land for future housing needs for the
next 10 years
To encourage the development of a range of housing types
to meet the specific needs of different sections of the
community
To ensure that optimum use is made of designated land
without prejudicing high standards of residential amenity
To ensure that the density, scale, layout and design of
residential development are appropriate for the site
To secure a high standard of living accommodation and
residential environment
Low, medium and
high density
residential zonings
Density bonus
policy, Cluster
housing schemes
Topic
Tourism
Commercial
Industrial
Quarrying
Institutional
Airport
Policy options /
Zoning options
Key objectives
To provide for the development, expansion and upgrading
of a range of top quality tourism, cultural and
entertainment facilities consistent with the operation of a
successful tourism industry
To prevent the over-development of sites and to ensure that
the massing, scale, design and density of development are
compatible with the Bermuda Image and sensitive to the
physical characteristics of the site
To provide for the controlled development of retail, office
and service uses in appropriate locations to serve the local
needs of the community
To promote the establishment of new, and the expansion of
existing, commercial centres in appropriate locations
whilst protecting the amenity of neighbouring residential
areas
To promote the implementation of landscaping and design
schemes to improve the functionality and appearance of
certain commercial centres
To provide for the controlled development of industrial
uses in appropriate locations
To restrict the scale and type of industrial development to
ensure its compatibility with the amenity and environment
of the surrounding area
To promote the implementation of landscaping and design
schemes to improve the functionality and appearance of
industrial areas
To protect the environment of neighbouring areas,
particularly any residential area
To upgrade the condition and appearance of worked sites,
and to restore and prepare them for an appropriate form of
development
To enable the orderly development, expansion and
upgrading of an adequate range of institutional facilities
which will provide high quality education, community
facilities, health, welfare, and government services to meet
the needs of the community
To maintain important open spaces and natural features
which contribute positively to the quality of the grounds
and setting of the institution, and to protect the amenity
and environment of neighbouring residential areas
To provide for the orderly development, expansion and
upgrading of the Bermuda International Airport
Revised tourism
policies
Government
industrial sites to be
rezoned from
government to
industrial
Government
institutional sites to
be rezoned from
government to
institutional
New Airport Zone
Page 89 of 97
Topic
Utilities
Recreation
Key objectives
To provide for the orderly development, expansion and
upgrading of utility services (including sewage, water,
electricity and telecommunications)
To allocate sufficient land throughout Bermuda for a range
of active and passive recreational activities
Policy options /
Zoning options
Utility policies
applicable to all
zonings
Goal/Principle: To encourage a more efficient and sustainable use and development of land
Subdivision
Mixed use
To ensure the most appropriate and efficient use and
division of land resources
To promote the regeneration of existing urban centres and
the growth of new urban centres through more flexible
land use provisions and development standards in certain
locations
New Mixed Use
zone
Goal/Principle: To encourage the redevelopment and improvement of key areas
Special Study
Areas
To promote improvements to the physical, economic and
environmental quality of particular neighbourhoods
To promote and support mixed use development projects in
key areas that are under review
Economic
empowerment areas,
Community
programme areas
Morgan’s Point,
Tudor Hill
To promote and support the regeneration of the Island’s
key waterfronts
Goal/Principle: To encourage a high quality of design and accessibility in all new
developments
Subdivision
Design and
visual quality
Page 90 of 97
To ensure the layout and design of subdivision proposals
are sensitive to a site’s physical and environmental
characteristics
To protect the character and scenic quality of undeveloped
areas which contribute to the visual quality of Bermuda
To conserve and enhance the fabric and appearance of
developed areas with a special character and visual quality
To encourage a high standard of design and external
appearance in all new buildings and structures in sympathy
with the Island’s architectural traditions
To ensure that the massing, scale and design of
development is sensitive to and compatible with the
Topic
Landscaping
Transportation
and Parking
Policy options /
Zoning options
Key objectives
Bermuda Image
To ensure that the scale and layout of development is in
harmony with the contours and physical characteristics of
the site and retains the significant natural features of the
site
To encourage the use of energy efficient measures in site
planning and building design
To ensure that all new buildings and alterations to existing
buildings to which the public have access are accessible to
persons with physical disabilities
To encourage a high standard of landscaping in all new
developments in accordance with the Bermuda Image
To retain and protect existing vegetation and encourage the
planting of endemic and native species in new areas
To ensure the repair and restoration of damaged sites and
absorb new development in the Bermuda landscape
through screen planting
To ensure that development sites are properly landscaped
and planted in accordance with an approved landscape plan
To facilitate the reduction in traffic congestion by
encouraging the use of alternative, more sustainable modes
of transport, and the location of new development within
easy access to public transport
To provide for the safe movement of traffic and
pedestrians including disabled and elderly persons
Energy efficiency
policy
Accessible buildings
Landscaping Plans
Traffic Impact Study
policy, Sustainable
transport policy,
Revised parking
standards
Provision of
sidewalks and
crossings
To provide for adequate and safe parking areas for vehicles
5.3 Structure of the new Bermuda Plan
The new Bermuda Plan will comprise a new Planning Statement and new zoning maps.
5.3.1 The new Planning Statement
One of the main weaknesses of the 1992 Planning Statement is the lack of connectivity
between the Report of Survey, “Bermuda 2000 – Facing the Future” which provides the
background and rationale to many of the policies in the 1992 Planning Statement. In
addition, within the 1992 Planning Statement itself, there is a lack of correlation between
the goals stated in section 1, the objectives or directives to the Board stated at the
beginning of many of the other sections, and the policies themselves. As such, some
policies are not always clear and do not always relate back to clear objectives. In
addition, some of the objectives stated in section 1 do not have any policies which
Page 91 of 97
directly relate to them. The topics within the Planning Statement also need to be better
organized and grouped.
The new Planning Statement will contain a clear vision, key goals, and objectives which
will link into each and every planning policy. An executive summary list of all the key
policies and how they relate to the overall goals and objectives of the plan will be
included. It will be an easy to read document with illustrations and colour coded
sections.
The policies will be based on comprehensive survey data and analysis and will be
substantiated by reasoned justification for those policies. Where applicable, policies will
relate well to other relevant government legislation, plans, programmes and initiatives.
Figure 45: Proposed Arrangement of Sections and Chapters for new Bermuda Plan
As discussed in Section 4 of this report, there are a number of topic areas not currently
addressed in the 1992 Planning Statement which have over the last decade becoming
increasingly important issues for land use planners as well as for Bermuda. For instance, there
has been a change in thinking with regard to building densities and car parking standards and
these will be reflected in new objectives and amended or new policies in the new Planning
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Statement. Similarly, some of the 1992 Planning Statement’s definitions need refinement and
updating, and new definitions will be added to the new Planning Statement.
The Planning Statement will contain sections which will be divided into chapters as
shown in Figure 44. The first section of the Planning Statement will contain policies
relating to the general administration of the new Plan. A ‘general policy’ section will
include chapters on the environmental analysis of planning applications, subdivision of
land, design and landscaping requirements, coastal development, transportation and
parking, utilities and quarrying. A ‘conservation base zone’ section will include chapters
on nature reserves, parks, coastal reserve, open space reserve and recreational spaces. A
‘development base zone’ section will include chapters on residential and tourism,
industrial and commercial, and institutional and community facilities. There will be a
‘conservation area’ section including policies on woodland reserve and agricultural areas,
and a protection area section including policies regarding caves, water resources, historic
areas and the lands adjacent to the airport. There will be a section for ‘special study
areas’ and a concluding section on the implementation, monitoring and review of the new
Plan.
5.3.2 The new Zoning Maps
Traditionally the hardcopy zoning maps were based on a series of 74 large Ordnance
Survey (OS) Maps, which were created for the Island in 1962 using the Bermuda1957
grid coordinate system. All zoning boundaries were hand drawn and coloured on a set of
these maps. In order to make the large loose map sheets more manageable, the 74 maps
were reduced in size and bound into a booklet for the Bermuda Plan 1992. The Bermuda
Plan 1992 also introduced a multi-layered zoning system. The zoning maps include a
transparent sheet of vellum containing the development zones, which are overlaid onto a
paper sheet containing the conservation areas, thereby allowing both zones to be viewed
simultaneously. However, this overlay map system doubles the number of pages so that
each map sheet comprises two pages.
In 2003, the Survey Section of the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing
discontinued the OS Map series and replaced them with a new digitally created
Topographic Map Database (TMD) which was based on the new BNG2000 grid
coordinate system. Drawn at a closer scale than the OS Maps, the new TMD hardcopy
maps are more detailed. Consequently there are 161 maps in the TMD series. If the
Department of Planning continued using the same two pages per map sheet format, the
new Bermuda Plan zoning maps would become very unwieldy. As such, it is intended to
simplify the new zoning map system and to print all the zones for one map sheet on one
page. In addition, it is proposed to produce the new Bermuda Plan zoning maps as a
booklet with two of the TMD map extents side by side on one page, thereby giving a
manageable total of 78 zoning map sheets.
The new Bermuda Plan will adopt a slightly different approach in its system zoning in
order to simplify and ease interpretation of the zoning regulations. There will be base
zones (development and conservation), conservation areas and protection areas. The
conservation and protection areas overlay the base zones. The Bermuda Plan 1992
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zoning legend and colour scheme will be retained as much as possible to ensure
consistency between plans. Solid colours will be used for ‘Base Zones’, hatched areas
for the ‘Conservation Areas’, and solid lines for the ‘Protection Areas’.
Other modifications will be made to the zoning boundaries to take into account new
parkland areas and new schools, as well as other buildings and structures built over the
last 15 years during the 1992 plan period which may now be inappropriately zoned.
All the new zones will be created digitally, using the Department of Planning’s
Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and the maps will be available both as
hard copies and on compact disc.
The new Bermuda Plan is likely to include the following zones, some of which are new
zones (see Table 16). The maps will also show the point locations for known cave and
Tree Preservation Orders.
Development Base
Zones
Conservation Base
Zones
Conservation Area
Layers
Special Study
Areas
Residential 1
(high/bonus zone
density)
Residential 2 (medium
density)
Rural (low density)
Tourism
Commercial
Mixed use
Industrial
Institutional
Airport
Nature Reserve
Park
Coastal Reserve
Open Space Reserve
Recreation
Woodland Reserve
Agricultural Reserve
Morgan’s Point
Tudor Hill
Protection Areas
Historic
Cave
Water Resources
Airport Control
Table 16: Proposed new zoning system
5.4 Implementation, Monitoring and Review
5.4.1 Implementation
The main way in which the policies of the new Plan will be implemented is through the
Board’s powers to grant or refuse planning permission. The Development and Planning
Act 1974 places prime importance on the policies of development plans in the
determination of whether to approve a planning application. In implementing the policies
of the new Plan, the Board will also be directed to promote and enable developments or
improvements which are in accordance with the overall aim and objectives of the new
Plan. The Department of Planning will provide additional guidance notes to supplement
the policies in the new Plan. In addition, the Department will continue to prepare
Development Briefs for important potential development sites to promote their
development and provide more detailed guidance on their future land use. Reasonable
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conditions will be attached to planning permissions, where necessary, to regulate the
form and use of the approved development.
Most development on the Island in the future is expected to come from private
investment, ranging from individual householders wanting to improve their property
through to major residential and commercial developments. The Bermuda Government’s
role will involve the use and development of its own land, its statutory powers and its
capital expenditure programmes. The Government will also be involved in promotional,
enabling and partnership initiatives consistent with the objectives of the new Plan.
5.4.2 Monitoring
The “Bermuda 2000 – Facing the Future” report recommended that the Bermuda Plan
1992 be regularly monitored by way of a comprehensive planning information system to
ensure the 1992 Plan’s currency and effectiveness. However, this monitoring system was
never formalized and no amendments have been made to the 1992 Bermuda Plan since it
became operative in July 1992.
The new Plan will include a section related to the implementation and on-going
monitoring of the Plan. Technical officers within the Department of Planning’s Forward
Planning Section will be regularly monitoring development trends across the Island,
assessing needs based on planning policy and providing an accessible, up-to-date
information base for sound decision making. It is proposed that regular monitoring
reports will be produced containing key statistics regarding planning and building
applications and take up of land in accordance with a list of key sustainability indicators
(see Table 17).
The Department has a sophisticated planning and building applications database,
Bermuda Environmental Management Information Systems (BEMIS). BEMIS is used
primarily for administrating the processing of applications; however, it has also been
designed to generate statistical reports which are used for decision-making and long term
planning. BEMIS also has a spatial mapping function which includes many layers of
geographic information. BEMIS was custom built in 1999 and has undergone many
enhancements including linkages to other Department databases and Government
information systems. On-going enhancements and data quality improvements to BEMIS
will ensure the provision of an efficient, effective and accurate monitoring tool for the
new Bermuda Plan.
Page 95 of 97
List of Sustainable Indicators
Implementation of Bermuda Plan policies and zonings
o Number of planning applications approved contrary to the development plan
o Number of appeals approved contrary to the development plan
o Number of Special Development Orders granted
o Number of Section 34 Agreements entered into
o Number of Environmental Impact Statements submitted
Conservation Land
o Loss of/inappropriate development on conservation lands (Nature Reserves,
National Parks, Woodland, Agriculture etc)
o Number of Conservation Management Plans submitted
Historic Environment
o Number of listed buildings demolished
o Number of listed buildings removed / added to list
Transportation
o Number of new sidewalks built
o Number of persons traveling to work by public transport
Residential development
o Number of new dwelling units completed/granted assessment numbers
o Number of permanent, new ‘affordable housing units’ completed
Commercial development
o Amount of floorspace developed for commercial uses (retail, office, leisure)
Table 17: List of Sustainable Indicators
5.4.3 Review
A review of any development plan is required every five years, in accordance with
section 9 of the Development and Planning Act 1974. The review is intended to ensure
that development plans are kept up-to-date and accommodate changing circumstances in
Bermuda. The review may highlight the need for minor alterations to policies or zonings
in the Plan, the requirement for a comprehensive look at a particular area of the Island, or
the need for the preparation of a new development plan.
Page 96 of 97
6.0 Summary Note
This Review and Strategy Report outlines the framework for the production of a new
Bermuda Plan. It describes some of the economic and environmental changes that
Bermuda has encountered over the course of the Bermuda Plan 1992 and reviews some of
the strengths and weaknesses of the current Bermuda Plan 1992, all of which explain the
need for a new Plan to better serve our needs today and into the future.
The Report states the goals and objectives for the new Bermuda Plan and the vision and
strategies towards development, conservation and social opportunity. The Report
describes proposals regarding the new Planning Statement, and the new zoning map
system, and recommends an implementation and monitoring system to ensure these are
kept up-to-date. The Report also outlines the work programme, public and government
consultations, the draft plan and tribunal process, and approval of final Bermuda Plan by
the House of Assembly and Legislature.
Whilst it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Environment, Telecommunications and
E-Commerce to undertake a review of the current development plan for the Island and to
prepare a new Plan that will best serve the needs of Bermuda’s residents today and in the
future, it is nevertheless up to everyone to play a part in shaping the future of our Island.
Together we can make Bermuda an even better place to live, so it is important for the
public to voice their concerns and comments on the new Bermuda Plan.
Page 97 of 97

Bermuda Plan 2005 - Department of Planning

Transcription

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