The proposal to build three hotels, ruining the beautiful Xghajra-Mwiegel-San Anard-Zonqor coastline by further cementification, instead of rehabilitating it ecologically, is of grave concern. A hotel at Smart City could make sense, and a sensitive conversion of Fort Leonardo could be accepted as long as it respects the fort’s conservation status, however more development on virgin land should not even be considered.
The fact that the Government Privatisation Unit is presenting this proposal shows that the authorities have no vision for integrated coastal planning for the whole island, or creativity to produce a different tourism product and strategy that will provide a diverse experience and real benefits for the local community. Malta’s decision-makers have not realised that agricultural land and our garigue are not ‘empty spaces’ to be built upon but important public green spaces that are essential to the physical and mental health of the nation. Building these isolated hotels will require roads and services, therefore more soil will be sealed and less water absorbed into the aquifer.
The coastline belongs to the public both by law, and also by the Barcelona Convention where Malta had committed to “preserve coastal zones for the benefit of current and future generations;” and that “unnecessary concentration and urban sprawl should be avoided” and public access to the sea retained.
This hotels project comes in the wake of the policy to increase hotel heights all over Malta – no studies have been produced to justify the increased capacity in either case.
For years there has been talk of improving the mediocrity at Bugibba – what has become of the committee set up under Perit Charles Buhagiar with the remit of coming up with solutions for sub-standard accommodation there? Instead of focussing on upgrading,this government is following ‘slash and burn’ policies to replace Bugibba by more development on virgin ODZ land. While FAA appreciates the need to spread the benefits of tourism to the south, the priority should be the rehabilitation of abandoned sites like the Jerma Palace Hotel.
Above all, these proposals violate the Structure Plan undertaking to protect “Public access around the coastline immediately adjacent to the sea or at the top of cliffs. This will include taking shorelands into public ownership, Government acquisition of illegal developments and encroachments…All the coastline will be brought into public ownership within a specified period.” “Given the heavily urbanized environment … it becomes even more important to protect from any form of urban development the few remaining unspoilt stretches of natural coast.”
Hotels are not permitted Out of Development Zone, therefore Government is proposing a double illegality lacking in long-term vision in order to enrich speculators abusively at the cost of the public health.
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar supported by Friends of the Earth and Ramblers had organised a petition against the encroachment of public spaces and beaches which attracted over 2,000 signatures. The petition can be signed at: http://goo.gl/ioZqyF
08.11.2014