8 comments so far.Qala Creek project appeal to be heard by MEPA on Tuesday
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On Tuesday morning the MEPA board is to consider an appeal by the developers of the proposed Hondoq project.
The plans, which originally included the development of a large hotel, real estate units and a yacht marina, brought a public outcry. The developers then dropped the idea of the marina, limiting themselves to a ‘swimming lagoon’ for the proposed Qala Creek project.
Environmental NGOs Moviment Harsien Hondoq, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Ramblers Association, FOE Malta, Nature Trust, GUG, Din l-art helwa and Wirt Ghawdex, said in October 2011, that they had studied the 2009 EIS Co-ordinated Report where the developers themselves stated “the project would struggle if it had to be developed as a stand-alone hotel.” They say that the “project is expected to double the 5-star room capacity in Gozo, despite the current demand for five-star hotel properties in Gozo being weak.”
The NGOs had said that “the developers stressed the point that increased room capacity (oversupply) is of major concern to the market, and to be successful the hotel needs to be part of an integrated project with features that differentiate it from other hotels, i.e. the marina, thus the hotel will depend on demand generated by other parts of the project.”
Both the environment unit and Transport Malta had recommended that the application be turned down.
The NGOs had urged MEPA to refuse such a project and to revert the land to its original designation as a nature park.
The Qala Local Council had said previously “that it had already investigated the various aspects of creating an environment and heritage park, a project that would draw much-needed tourists to Gozo, and support existing hotels and catering establishments.”
The SOS Hondoq petition is available for signing by Clicking Here.
This project must finally be discarded once and for all!
It is totally ridiculous to continue wasting tax-payers time and money on a project that should never even have got onto a drawing board in the first place let alone left one!
Why did the Qala council go to the trouble of holding a referendum if the results have been ignored? Who paid for it? Or rather who paid for it to be ignored?
This whole project stinks and has done from the start.
Let Hondoq become a nature reserve at last, but please not another Manhatten or Sliema!
Lesley I do certainly agree with you .This has been going for a long time maybe perhaps one day they might get through the back door ,so please keep on doing all you can so we can all enjoy Hondoq ir Rummien
Have just signed the petition .Hopefully Mepa would listen to us common people and not the speculators.
We need Hondoq for our relaxation during Summer
Let`s all see if Mepa will keep their word when the recommended refusal for this monster
I frequent this area quite often during summer and it is always full of people enjoying themselves.
Where shall we go if Hondoq is lost???
The Hondoq Bay project never was about attracting tourists. It is and always has been about rich people getting richer at the expense of the ordinary Joe in the street. When I saw that they had dropped the marina in favour of a swimming lagoon I found it hilarious. Hondoq Bay doesn’t need a swimming lagoon as God has provided it with a very good natural one. Anyway this swimming lagoon idea is just a ploy by the developers to try and get the people on their side. They are trying to make out that the only problem people have is with a marina but that is only part of the problem. The overall development is a problem as it would destroy the area forever. Plus let’s be honest here, what exactly is a swimming lagoon? It’s a marina without any boats in it, and once they have got that far it will be a simple enough matter to get the swimming lagoon changed to a marina. If this project is given the go-ahead by Mepa it will make the lives of the people of Qala hell for years to come, and it will destroy forever one of the main tourist attractions on the island. If you want to attract tourists to Gozo then for God’s sake stop destroying the places that the tourists want to visit!
I remember that a referendum was held and the Qala residents voted 85% against it .So why the local authorities do not take action and enforce the people`s will?
Gozo is fast becoming a concrete jungle .
Giovanna What has happened to ECO Gozo and those hollow promises ?????????
I don’t know why such project get discussed??? There is no discussion for such desecration….the answer should be a big NO…don’t even think about it!!!
Money, money and more money. The fact that this has gone so far and looks like going on forever shows the total disregard people in power have for normal, decent people who respect and enjoy what is there and what is. Referendum? Let us see how referendums are respected when the government bow down to the hunters and trappers. Malta is like everywhere else. One percent own ninety nine per cent and they won’t give a trimmed penny to the rest of us. Democracy? Pah.