Harbour Master deems Hondoq "unique" for swimming
Published on http://www.maltastar.com/pages/msfullart.asp?an=13039 by David Vella on 23rd June, 2007.
Hondoq ir-Rummien Bay is “the only suitable bathing area available to both the Gozitans and Maltese, during rough weather conditions from the Northwesterly sector”.
In a letter to Mepa, the Harbour Master of Malta, states that if the authority approves proposed building of a yacht marina, a hotel and 250 residential units, “the worst effect of this development on the social and economic aspect of Gozo, is that the availability of suitable swimming sites to the rest of the community during adverse weather conditions from the North West and North will be reduced”.
The Harbour Master’s letter, seen by maltastar.com, was sent after the Malta Maritime Authority was requested to study the proposed development and comment on the potential effects that this construction project may have.
The proposed construction project at Hondoq is one of the developments that has caused all Maltese green NGOs to unite and organise a protest march in Valletta, to be held on Monday 25 June, at 1830hrs. The protest, entitled ‘Save Gozo’ will also be voicing the public’s outrage against the recent permit for the building of 23 villas at Ramla l-Hamra, metres away from an internationally recognised special ecological area of conservation. Three organisations formed by Gozitan residents, the Save Ramla, Save Hondoq, and Save Ta’ Cenc action groups, will be voicing their objections to the “rape” of crucial green areas in Gozo.
(For more information on the situation at Ramla l-Hamra and Hondoq ir-Rummien, click here – this is not an advert paid by Mepa).
The developers have just completed an environmental impact statement (EIS) on their proposed construction project, parts of which have already been revealed by maltastar.com.
The study was commissioned by Mepa as a requirement for the processing of the development application of their proposed yacht marina and apartments. The EIS includes, amongst others, reports penned by marine scientists stating that currently, “the bathing waters at this locality must be one of the safest and cleanest for Gozo”. Yet, with the excavation and construction works planned, and the resulting increase in marine traffic once the yacht marina is opened, the clean waters of this pristine bay will be degraded.
The Harbour Master notes that once the proposed project is approved, “most of the bathing and parking areas currently in use will be taken over by the marina itself and other developments. Trying to keep the sandy beach [as the developers are pledging] is not the only factor because a lot of swimmers use the adjoining rocks for bathing”. Thus, he urges the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to “take into consideration the social impact of this development”.
In response, the developers insist that they will be providing more access to the beach by creating 90 parking spaces for the public and re-build the existing wharf currently used by bathers. Yet, Qala residents opposing the project are insisting that in summer there are usually much more than 90 families using the beach, and moreover, swimmers extend beyond the wharf to the rock shore that will be excavated to create the yacht marina entrance. Thus, the area for bathers will be still be significantly reduced.
Hondoq ir-Rummien Bay is “the only suitable bathing area available to both the Gozitans and Maltese, during rough weather conditions from the Northwesterly sector”.
In a letter to Mepa, the Harbour Master of Malta, states that if the authority approves proposed building of a yacht marina, a hotel and 250 residential units, “the worst effect of this development on the social and economic aspect of Gozo, is that the availability of suitable swimming sites to the rest of the community during adverse weather conditions from the North West and North will be reduced”.
The Harbour Master’s letter, seen by maltastar.com, was sent after the Malta Maritime Authority was requested to study the proposed development and comment on the potential effects that this construction project may have.
The proposed construction project at Hondoq is one of the developments that has caused all Maltese green NGOs to unite and organise a protest march in Valletta, to be held on Monday 25 June, at 1830hrs. The protest, entitled ‘Save Gozo’ will also be voicing the public’s outrage against the recent permit for the building of 23 villas at Ramla l-Hamra, metres away from an internationally recognised special ecological area of conservation. Three organisations formed by Gozitan residents, the Save Ramla, Save Hondoq, and Save Ta’ Cenc action groups, will be voicing their objections to the “rape” of crucial green areas in Gozo.
(For more information on the situation at Ramla l-Hamra and Hondoq ir-Rummien, click here – this is not an advert paid by Mepa).
The developers have just completed an environmental impact statement (EIS) on their proposed construction project, parts of which have already been revealed by maltastar.com.
The study was commissioned by Mepa as a requirement for the processing of the development application of their proposed yacht marina and apartments. The EIS includes, amongst others, reports penned by marine scientists stating that currently, “the bathing waters at this locality must be one of the safest and cleanest for Gozo”. Yet, with the excavation and construction works planned, and the resulting increase in marine traffic once the yacht marina is opened, the clean waters of this pristine bay will be degraded.
The Harbour Master notes that once the proposed project is approved, “most of the bathing and parking areas currently in use will be taken over by the marina itself and other developments. Trying to keep the sandy beach [as the developers are pledging] is not the only factor because a lot of swimmers use the adjoining rocks for bathing”. Thus, he urges the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to “take into consideration the social impact of this development”.
In response, the developers insist that they will be providing more access to the beach by creating 90 parking spaces for the public and re-build the existing wharf currently used by bathers. Yet, Qala residents opposing the project are insisting that in summer there are usually much more than 90 families using the beach, and moreover, swimmers extend beyond the wharf to the rock shore that will be excavated to create the yacht marina entrance. Thus, the area for bathers will be still be significantly reduced.
posted by Hondoq at
1:53 PM
