Posted 24th September 2026. Last updated 24th September 2026.

The Royal Gazette – Opinion Article by Kim Smith, Executive Director, BEST – September 24, 2026

Bermuda’s construction industry is booming and the pipeline of major projects is growing. This includes hotels, affordable housing projects, seniors housing projects, new-build homes and residential renovations.

Such investment is welcome. Done well, it strengthens our economy and addresses many longstanding housing needs. However, with so many large-scale projects either under way or planned, there is one question that those in charge of our island’s infrastructure need to be asking: “How much can Bermuda realistically build at once?”

The Fairmont Southampton redevelopment is already a major undertaking, especially as it includes a substantial residential component that is not expected to be completed for another 20 years.

The Elbow Beach hotel is proposed for extensive redevelopment. Ariel Sands, which already has approval for a significant hotel, villa and condominium development, has now returned to the planning process with a new application, and the Mid Ocean Club is preparing for a major programme of investment and restoration.
Alongside these tourism developments, government and private developers are trying to tackle Bermuda’s critical housing shortage, with large and small-scale housing projects being advanced at numerous sites across the island.

Some of these larger proposed developments include the 24-unit residential buildings for Tommy Fox Village in St David’s, the 36-unit Victoria Place II Village on Cochrane Road in Sandys, and the 110-unit Cann Park II residential development for seniors at Sea Express Lane in Southampton.

These developments are needed but they are huge by local standards and will require a vast amount of construction resources. If they all proceed simultaneously, they would require hundreds of additional construction workers, many of whom would need to be recruited from overseas and who would be competing for rental accommodation alongside people already living here.

Read more here: https://www.royalgazette.com/opinion-writer/opinion/article/20260924/kim-smith-handle-with-care-bermudas-construction-boom/