The three key Gozo-focused, environmental and heritage NGOs, Din L-Art Helwa Ghawdex, Ghawdix and Wirt Ghawdex announced on the 13th of November the formation of a Coalition for Gozo (Koalizzjoni Ghal Ghawdex).

The Coalition’s main goal can be summed up in a few words – ”Working for the common good of Gozo.”

In a statement on Friday, Koalizzjoni Ghal Ghawdex has demanded that ”within the next twelve months the authorities deliver a new carefully crafted and soundly articulated revision of Gozo’s planning and development regulations.”

”These must recognise and respect the island’s unique social and aesthetic qualities, and the needs and aspirations of its residents,” the Coalition said. ”It must be preceded by meaningful consultation with Gozitan communities, mayors, NGOs, business bodies and those who have the true interests of Gozo at heart.”

The Coalition said that it recognises that a larger exercise on a Strategic Vision and 10-year Plan for Gozo is currently underway, led by the professional executive team at the Gozo Regional Development Authority (GRDA).

The Coalition added that it is ”broadly supportive” of the GRDA initiative and has provided ”extensive, constructive feedback” on the GRDA’s Consultation Document.

However, it pointed out that the GRDA Strategic Plan will take months yet to be finalised and approved, and even longer to start to have an impact on the status quo.

For that reason the Coalition said that it is ”demanding implementation” of the following actions to come into effect by 1st Jan 2022 so as to give the island breathing space from the present avalanche of destructive development:

1. A 12-month suspension of DC2015 Annex 2 regulations.

2. A 12-month extension of the current UCA boundaries by 250 metres with strict imposition of UCA policies within these boundaries.

3. A 12-month moratorium on all ODZ applications with some exceptions for genuine agricultural use.

The Coalition went on to say that in addition, until such time as the revised planning and development regulations for Gozo are agreed and go into force, the three NGOs are ‘demanding immediate action” from the Executive Chairperson of the PA, Martin Saliba and Planning Board Chairperson Vince Cassar, on the following:

I. Designate a ‘point person’ in the PA with the responsibility to immediately respond to reports of abuse in Gozo and in particular to the demolition of old buildings.

II. Step up PA enforcement with mandatory ad-hoc site visits under development applications that involve structures in ODZ and UCA to ensure that the PA’s Planning Application Notices remain prominently displayed for the whole legally proscribed period.

III. With immediate effect, Government, through the responsible Minister, should order the suspension of construction works on the old boathouses in Xlendi and conduct a full investigation on the permits granted, which disregard any consideration of aesthetics, scale and context or the boathouses’ historical significance.

IV. The PA must reject outright applications that are clearly illegal such as the ongoing application to re-zone 3,400 square metres of agricultural land in Gharb, as well as the well-documented development encroachments into ODZ in Xaghra, Nadur, Qala, San Lawrenz and Sannat. In particular, in those cases where third parties register as objectors for a change in zoning, then those third party objectors should have the right to file an appeal to the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal.

V. Stop the present practice of allowing developers to carve up mega-developments into smaller parcels, ostensibly as separate applications and often in the name of different private individuals, in order to avoid Environmental Impact Assessments and other mandatory requirements for the larger project.

VI. Impose strict adherence to all policies aimed at ensuring the protection of buildings and sites of historical and architectural importance as well as their setting, be they scheduled, in Urban Conservation Areas, Rural Areas or otherwise.

VII. Urgently introduce scheduling of vistas and village skylines to protect each village core together with rural and coastal views of natural beauty.

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Koalizzjoni Ghal Ghawdex stated that it ”intends to pursue every legal and constitutional avenue possible in defence of Gozo and its environment to ensure that public entities and officials do their duty.”

The Coalition added that it ”believes that with goodwill, sound decisions and the actions above by Government and the necessary stakeholders, the Common Good for Gozo can be served.”

It concluded by saying that ”this Common Good includes the protection and preservation of Gozo’s unique beauty and distinctiveness, for the benefit of residents and visitors of this and future generations.”

Permalink: Gozitan NGOs – Working for the Common Good of Gozo