MEGGETT — The ACE Basin spans about 1.6 million acres of wetlands, tidal marshes and forests between Charleston and Beaufort. The area is dotted with small barrier islands which serve as a critical habitat for South Carolina’s wildlife.

One of those islands might soon get a lot busier.

An administrative law court judge on April 30 paved the way for a private developer to build a private access bridge to an island near Meggett — a first step towards developing the land. Conservation groups say the court’s decision ignores the special development protections that the ACE Basin typically enjoys under state law.