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Richard Branson's Necker island SIR Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic chairman, has just purchased his second British Virgin Island, Moskito Island, just a mile from Necker Island, which
he bought in 1976 for £120,000. Branson paid £10million for what he believes is one of the last unspoilt islands in the Caribbean. At 150 acres it is twice the size of Necker, and he plans
to develop it over the next five years into the most ecologically friendly resort in the world. "I didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands and be ruined, " he said.
"It has the only pristine rainforest in the Caribbean." In fact, he was so determined to own it that he once swam the mile across from Necker to get a first-hand look at the
island. As a lover of the island of Bali, Branson aims to create the resort using Indonesian architectural design and vegetation. Necker also has a Balinese theme, from the names of the
private cottages, such as Bali Hi and Bali Lo, to the stone statues dotted along the sandy roads. Oversized woodenframed sofas stuffed with white cushions, intricately carved tables and
dozens of tropical plants complete the theme. > Of course, someone with their own island must have enough toys to > keep occupied. Necker is no exception For certain weeks in the year
the general public can come and stay. I gained a taste of what it's like to have your own island last week. As well as having the friendliest, typically good-looking staff of anywhere
I've been, the island also has a certain mystical feel about it. Perhaps it's the fact that not only did I have my own cottage, Bali Hi, complete with two bedrooms, private plunge
pool and open-air relaxation area, I also had my own golf buggy to pootle around. Paved and sandy roads weave through the island's lush vegetation, lit by lanterns which sit on top of
stone walls. And Branson has introduced giant turtles and pink flamingos who, quite frankly, must love being there. Of course, someone with their own island must have enough toys to keep
occupied. Necker is no exception. There are two stunning pools, a watersports area with hobicats, wind and kite surfers, and waterskis, and hunky British instructors more than happy to cater
to your every whim. Alternatively you could play at Robinson Crusoe and put on your trainers to go exploring. Should all this activity tire you out, there are three "love-shacks"
dotted about where you can catch forty winks. Or have a treatment in the open-air spa. Or simply wrap yourself in a hammock or on a sunlounger on the white powder sand beach. While Necker is
an exclusive island, where celebrities such as Mariah Carey and Annie Lennox can come for weeks at a time to enjoy the seclusion, early plans for Moskito include the construction of family
houses. "If Virgin succeeds in creating the first carbon neutral island, we hope to ricochet the concept around the British Virgin Islands and beyond, " said Branson. "We are
trying to set it up as a test island to prove it can be done." The Islands certainly hold the right elements: the wind is consistent, useful to create electricity, with constant sun for
solar energy. Necker's Chief Engineer, Ryan West, says: "Moskito is a clean sheet and we are already testing the conditions. In the next couple of weeks we're going to
install a test wind turbine on Necker." Other plans include salt water in the swimming pools and treating 80 per cent of the waste water for use in irrigation. This latest venture is an
extension of Branson's "environmental" phase. Together with former American presidential candidate Al Gore, he has offered $25million to the first company that can come up
with a plan to reduce atmospheric levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Last year, Gore released the controversial film An Inconvenient Truth, which revealed alarming statistics on
how fast our planet is heating up, and he's now America's strongest voice on the subject. Virgin has also pledged to allocate £3billion of its profits to the cause over the next 10
years. Branson is putting a lot of time and energy into his passion for the environment. "I learnt a lot from developing Necker and I love a challenge, " he said. But as Necker is
now finished, a project that took 10 years to complete, he feels it's time to get his teeth into something else. GETTING THERE: Necker Island will be open for roomby-room hire from
September 29October 6, October 6-13, and October 13-20. Prices start from £4,903 (two adults/one child) in the Great House for three nights. Virgin Limited Edition: 0800 716 919/www. virgin.
com/limitededition Virgin Atlantic (08705 747747/ www. virginatlantic. com) offers return flights via Miami to Tortola and private boat transfer to Necker, from £608.