Bay Point Island, one of the last undeveloped barrier islands in South Carolina, might soon be home to a 4,000-square-foot villa despite conservation groups’ repeated efforts to stop development, according to county documents.

Since 2016, Six Senses, a chain of resorts and spas, has been attempting to build on Bay Point Island. Last year, Beaufort County’s Zoning Board of Appeals denied the group a special permit to build an ecotourism resort.

Although the company is appealing the decision, Beaufort County has approved a zoning permit that allows the chain to build a single-family home on the island.

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