NGOs welcomes Azure Window restaurant decision, “Dwejra saved”

As reported last Thursday, ^[1] the Court of Appeal revoked the decision of the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) to approve PA 5372/17 for further development within the Azure Window restaurant in Dwejra, Gozo.

The court appeal filed in July by BirdLife Malta ^[2] on behalf of the coalition of 15 NGOs to #savedwejra has been won and “Dwejra is now safe from the threat of further development and its night sky has been protected,” BirdLife Malta said today.

In a joint statement, the NGOs said that the case for appeal was prepared jointly by BirdLife Malta and the University of Malta’s Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy (ISSA), which were both registered objectors.

A separate appeal filed by the Environment & Resources Authority (ERA) on this case was also upheld.

The NGOs said that the Gozo site is also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) of international importance under the EU Habitats Directive, a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive, and a bird sanctuary.

At night it can give spectacular views of a dark starry sky and the Milky Way while the iconic Scopoli’s Shearwaters use the cliffs as their breeding habitat. Light pollution and increased development would have damaged this area.

Whilst welcoming this important decision, the NGOs thanked all those who supported this fight, in many ways.

A concerted effort of NGOs, lawyers, academics and civil society has brought the much desired result.

“A word of thanks also goes to the general public for its overwhelming support following the scandalous decision by the Tribunal to overturn the initial refusal by the Planning Authority for this development in Dwejra,” the NGOs said.

Following a crowdfunding campaign launched to raise funds so that a court appeal could be filed, over €3,000 in less than two days had been donated, they said

The 15 NGOs who had united in one effort as part of this front, and who are also endorsing this statement, are:

Bicycle Advocacy Group

BirdLife Malta

Din l-Art Helwa

Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar

Friends of the Earth Malta

Isles of the Left

Light Pollution Awareness Group

Moviment Graffitti

Nature Trust-FEE Malta

Ramblers Association

The Archaeological Society Malta

The Astronomical Society of Malta

The Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy (ISSA) ?

Wirt Ghawdex

Zminijietna – Lehen ix-Xellug.