Effective action needed to protect Gozo from unsustainable development – GBC

The Gozo Business Chamber has said that it supports the Gozitan mayors and the Gozo Regional Council in voicing its concerns on the “unsustainable development currently happening in Gozo.”

In a statement, the Chamber also said that it supports their request for the Planning Authority to take “effective action.”

The Chamber argued that “the present rate of development is ruining the village cores of the island of Gozo and the urban fabric, which development does not take into consideration the needs and concerns of our local communities.”

“Large development projects in villages and other localities in Gozo are unsustainable,” it said.

The Chamber stressed that “this type of development does not take into consideration the impact this is having on the urban fabric of our villages and towns, and the impact on local communities.”

The GBC went on to say that while it does support development, this should be sustainable, in line with what can be accommodated within our localities, and which respects the urban texture and traditional character of our villages and towns.

While it acknowledged, “the importance of the construction industry for our economy,” the Chamber said that it “believes that through a sustainable model of development new economic niches can be created for this industry, such as in the renovation of old buildings to make them more sustainable.”

The GBC concluded by saying that “to this end the Chamber has already made a number of proposals to the Government. It is important that our heritage is respected and that adverse impacts on our communities are avoided.”