During the latest Xewkija Local Council meeting the councillors, with a unanimous vote, agreed that the Council objects against the application for the development of an air strip within the limits of Xewkija.

The Council, which is led by Labour Mayor Simona Refalo, daughter of Agriculture Minister Anton Refalo, said it believes that “this project will be a nuisance for Xewkin residents and harmful to the environment including increased pollution and loud noises.”

The Council, in a statement on Friday, said it “demands that application number PA 07333/22 be suspended in order to hold an open consultation meetings for all local residents with the aim of addressing their concerns and safeguarding their interests.”

The existing runway is to be extended to a length of 445 metres including a safety area of 30 metres on each end of the airstrip, according to the proposal. It is currently 174 metres in length.

It was back in 2022 that the Gozo Regional Development Authority announced that it had concluded the regional impact assessment for the Gozo Regional Airfield and recommended that “the project proceed.”

It explained at the time that during this process, a number of documents were made public. In total, during the public consultation the Authority received over 70 suggestions, ideas and recommendations in relation to the proposal.

After taking into account the various studies and feedback, the Authority said it was publishing the Outcome Statement recommending the project while suggesting some changes to maximise the net benefits of the project.

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