Muted response to Ħondoq news

Published on the Malta Independent on Sunday 20th November, 2011 by Jane Carr.

It is interesting how little media reaction was provoked by the NGOs’ news release concerning Ħondoq, which was widely published at the end of October. The news release, based on the developers’ own words from their EIS reports, stated that demand for five-star accommodation in Gozo is weak, and that the hotel would not be viable without the marina.

It has now been reported that the developers have to put in a new application for Ħondoq, since the new concept with the swimming lagoon has a larger footprint than the original application. It would be surprising if the proposed swimming lagoon were to be larger than that proposed for the marina, so one can only presume that even more apartments are being planned – despite the developers recognising increased room capacity as being a problem.

Maybe there was something in the comment entitled “Parking Spaces at Ħondoq” (ToM, 12 July 2010), which discussed the excessive parking provision in the old application, and said ‘perhaps the developers are already thinking ahead for an expansion in the number of accommodation units?’

A swimming lagoon will not bring in the income that a marina would have done, (and indeed seems superfluous when Ħondoq has one of the most beautiful bays on the island). Therefore, how is increasing the number of accommodation units in a weak market going to be more commercially viable? There will of course be the income from the quarried stone – which could actually be the main prize in this venture.

As Mepa says in its Mission Statement: “The environment encompasses all − nature, cultural and architectural heritage, towns and villages, the countryside, the seas and air. We believe that together we should carefully plan so that our heritage, this gem which we treasure, will not fade away’.

Mepa, please do not let Ħondoq, with its nature, cultural and architectural heritage, disappear under the weight of yet more unrequired and unwanted apartment blocks.