Church commission slams Hondoq project

Published on the Malta Independent on Thursday 22nd July, 2010.

The Church’s interdiocesan commission on the environment has concluded that the proposed Hondoq ir-Rummien development in Gozo is not sustainable and that it is difficult to justify the claim that it represents more wealth and a better quality of life in Gozo for a long period.

The project, the commission said, will not protect the identity of the countryside and its beauty, which should be the principal assets to draw tourists to Gozo. On the pretext of needing to clean up the existing quarry and upgrade it, there is the danger of land speculation without regard to how the tourist product will be negatively affected

It was a pity, the commission said, that the developer was allowed to buy the land without the seller not realising, or not caring about, the damage the sale could cause.

The development includes the building of a marina for about 150 yachts, a five-star hotel which includes 150 units, and a tourist village. The development is being offered as a way of cleaning up the quarry to be found in the bay, and utilising it for tourism purposes. The marina would be the key to the project.

As the environmental impact statement itself admits, one of the difficulties for the project are the difficulties of the tourism industry in Gozo. The Hondoq project proposes to double the number of five-star hotel beds, when those sort of hotels are in difficulty. So the hotel needs the tourist village and marina. At the same time the EIS makes the argument that the hotel is an integral part of the necessary services for the success of the marina. Which means: there was either to be everything, or nothing.

The EIS market assessment itself concludes that “the major concern is the potential oversupply in the market, particularly for the hotel and tourist village”.

The EIS considers the sea quality in the area as excellent and identifies various impacts the project could have on the area’s environment, but quickly argues that these impacts can be mitigated. But unfortunately, the EIS tends to consider the mitigation measures as bound to be successful, while no one can ascertain this.

The EIS attempts in various instances to prove that there will be minimal impact on the area as the proposed buildings would be “hidden” in the quarry. It also compares the marina development with the Portomaso development in St Julian’s. It also gives estimates and market prices for the Portomaso project. This makes sense but the same reasoning leads to the observation that Portomaso filled a niche occupied until then by the old Hilton. The niche was an integral part of a huge urban development that took place in Paceville, St Julian’s and Sliema, the interdiocesan commission said.

The commission argued there are two possibilities to consider: that the marina and the Hondoq complex as proposed would remain isolated, or that, in time, this second Portomaso would serve as a centre from where other buildings would develop, further from what had been approved.

Considering how development occurs, and planning regulations, the commission said its opinion is that the second possibility is the more probable, which makes it believe that all marina developments should be allowed only in areas where there is already a certain level of urban development.

The proposed Hondoq development shows a crass social insensitivity. The developer chose to ignore the fact that the majority of Qala residents, who will be affected directly by the project, are against the development. The proposal of supplying double glazed windows to minimise the noise and emissions inconveniences shows the superficiality with which the real problems of the local population are being treated.

The commission went on to express preoccupation with the lack of investment and work opportunities in Gozo, which was leading to the island’s main resource, its people, having to find work elsewhere, exacerbating the island’s double insularity.

Contacting this newspaper, Paul Buttigieg, on behalf of the Moviment Harsien Hondoq, expressed satisfaction at the commission’s report, noting that it was on the same wavelength as the Jeremy Boissevain report because it focused on the social aspect. Mr Buttigieg said the Church was a neutral authority and therefore had an important value.