9 comments so far.Gozo Rural Airfield project – public consultation launched
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A public consultation process as part of the Regional Impact Assessment related to the proposed – Gozo Rural Airfield – project in Xewkija has been launched by the Ministry for Gozo, through the Gozo Regional Development Authority.
A non-technical guide to the Regional Impact Assessment can be downloaded from here In a statement, the Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri stressed that “no additional land will be taken” and that “this project will be carried out in an area that is currently a place of abuse, where construction waste has been illegally dumped in the past and has been scheduled to be used as an airfield by authorities in development plans.”
The project envisages the extension of the existing runway (which is currently 174m long) by a further 271-metres, to reach a total length of 445-metres (by 20-metres wide), including a safety area of 30-metres on each side (at each end) of the airstrip.
The envisaged upgrades are planned predominately within the airfield-designated territory. Currently the heliport is only used in cases of emergency by the air ambulance helicopter.
Minister Camilleri added that the proposed project will be carried out “with full respect for the island’s environment so that the impact is minimal but meets the ambitions for which it is being proposed.”
The Minister went on to say that “we will ensure that it is used only by small aircraft. In addition, the ‘aprons’ will be made of reinforced grass with full respect for the environment.”
“The Rural Airfield proposal for Gozo will be offering another means of connectivity,” he said.
It was explained that flights, which will be daytime only, will take around 15 minutes between Malta and Gozo.
Also mentioned were that take-offs and landings are planned along a specific route in order not to overfly villages close to the airfield.
Minister Camilleri said that with this investment, “the government is looking to create new economic niches in Gozo so that we can continue to diversify economic activity and create more sustainable and quality jobs.”
Mr Mario Borg, Chief Executive of the Gozo Regional Development Authority, said that the authority plays a central role in the proposed project as it will conduct a public consultation process, as set out in the Legal Act established by it. .
“Through this process, the Authority will be in a position to determine whether this project, as proposed, will add value to the island of Gozo with the least possible environmental impact,” he said.
The chief executive stressed that the Authority will be presenting all the studies related to this project that are available on the GRDA website so that the public can formulate an independent opinion.
He said that in order to explain the project in more detail, the Authority will hold two information meetings; on Thursday, the 19th of May – English Speaking – from 1700hrs till 1900hrs, Conference Hall, Gozo Innovation Hub, Xewkija, and and Friday, the 20th of May – Maltese Speaking – from 1700hrs till 1900hrs, Conference Hall, Gozo Innovation Hub, Xewkija
Booking is required to attend either meeting by emailing on info@grda.mt
For more information please see here and to make written contributions to the consultation are to be submitted to the Gozo Regional Development Authority on: consultations.grda@grda.mt
The consultation process is now open and closes on Friday, the 27th of May 2022.
People should not allow this to happen because Malta is very over crowded. Many of these small planes crash land and since Malta is so over crowded, the planes would cause a lot of destruction if this happened. You have to think about it that because Malta is so over crowded the planes will be taking off non stop and be very noisy and putting a lot of pollution on fields where vegtables grow. Too much noise, too much pollution and the danger if they crash into any area in Malta that is too over crowded.
You have to think too of all the birds that will be killed on runway when plane is taking off and in the air.
I think, Martha, you are getting confused with the likes of Heathrow airport!
There will be very few, very small, very quiet light aircraft taking off and landing, making very little noise and they are slow enough that any bird could easily fly out of the way.
Motorized bicycles make more noise! (So do hunters for that matter!)
Everything I said is true about small planes. If Clint Camilleri wants them so much tell him to stick them in his village of Qala. Who is he to to this to someone else’s village? If he does not stop making all these changes in Gozo that people do not want like tunnels, planes that connect, people will make sure to vote against him in election. He keeps asking for more tourists and it is already so crowded in Gozo but his village of Qala do not want to see buildings going up in Qala because it hurts them and makes them feel crowded . So if he wants Gozo to get more tourists, why is his village always against buildings going up? Let him stick his small airport in Qala. You people are so greedy. When is it going to stop? All you care about is money.
So Clint Camilleri is from Qala and he wants to increase tourism and he has no problem with sticking a small airport in Xewkija but if one small building goes up for tourists in Qala, the whole village of Qala is protesting. Let him stick his airport and any other tourist attractions in his village of Qala. What nerve! If the airport is as small and harmless as he says it is, stick it in Qala. Let him turn parts of large agricultural land there into a Qala runway for this airport he wants.
What is the need for Public Consultations if the decision is already made? The tranquility of Xewkija & Ghajnsielem will never be the same again.
So it is ok for the people in Qala to want nothing built in their village but it is ok that Clint Camilleri who lives in Qala to build a noisy, polluting runway in Xewkija. You are right Lina because this is going to cause pollution, noise, kill birds and almost every tourist who lands in Malta will take this plane. Like I said, why doesn’t Clint Camilleri stick it in his own village? Some people in Qala have land that is large enough for this since Clint said it will only take up a small space in Xewkija. People who live in Xewkija and nearby areas should protest this. Every time Clint Camilleri opens his mouth, tell him to build what he wants in his village of Qala. He has got some nerve. He doesn’t want anything biult in his village but it is ok for him to build it in someone else’s village.
I believe Clint Camilleri is actually from Nadur. As for nothing being built to spoil Qala have you visited our beleaguered village lately? Massive, monstrous 3 phase development taking place – apparently the biggest in Gozo. Hondoq even now constantly under threat of development. Everywhere you look there are cranes and every empty plot is now sprouting new construction….. shocking “pencil” development in already built sites……. need I go on.
No, his hometown is Qala but the point I am making is that anyone who wants to make change in Gozo should start with their own home property.