Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA) in a statement this evening welcomed MEPA’s decision to refuse applications to build private commercial resorts on public beaches at Ferro Bay and Qui si-Sana, Sliema.

Present at the hearing, FAA contested the developers’ claims that these beaches are inaccessible to the public and unusable. Claims that the proposed concrete structures would enhance the beach and would be reversible were also rebutted by the MEPA Board.

While the Qui si-Sana developer argued that he should be permitted to develop the beach because it is flanked by other private concessions, FAA maintained that it is precisely because of the encroachment of public beaches in Sliema, that the remaining natural and free beaches need to remain so.

FAA highlighted the fact that Sliema has already lost too many heritage features, including prehistoric cart ruts buried under the large cement platform at Qui si-Sana, and that MEPA should not permit these further impacts on the setting of the Grade 1 scheduled Fortizza and the WWII searchlight emplacement overlooking the contested Qui si-Sana foreshore.

FAA pointed out that above all, these applications violated the Structure Plan pledge 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.” Similarly the Local Plan stresses: “Given the heavily urbanised environment of the North Harbours area, it becomes even more important to protect from any form of urban development the few remaining unspoilt stretches of natural coast.”

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar 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 is still open and can be signed at: http://goo.gl/ioZqyF

Earlier today the MEPA Board said that it turned down two planning applications which sought planning permission for the construction or extension of lidos along the Sliema foreshore.

The Board advised that it agreed with the Planning Directorate’s recommendation and cited that the rocky coast needs to be protected for its ecological value and public access around the immediate coastline needs to remain safeguarded.

MEPA said that in the first application, planning permission was being sought for the extension of existing Preluna Beach Club onto the adjacent rocky coast right under the Fortizza landmark.

“The proposed project included the replacing of the existing concrete platform of the lido and its extension by an additional 180m² across existing natural rock to create an area to be used for the placing and hiring of sunbeds and umbrellas,” MEPA said.

The second planning application was for the construction of a new lido on the Qui-si-sana rocky foreshore between both the existing Plevna Hotel Beach Club and The Lido.

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