[WATCH] Gozo marina: Muscat plans to regenerate quarry ‘eyesore’

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The government aims to regenerate the ‘eyesore’ of a former limestone quarry in Qala into a project that makes economic sense, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said.

“It’s surprising how people are talking about this project as though it’s fallen from the sky,” Muscat said of the proposal to develop a yacht marina and cruise terminal in Qala. “The government issued an expression of interest for it last year.”

He was speaking after a press conference at Castile, held to announce the signing of an agreement between the government and Cambridge English, a branch of Cambridge University.

The Kalamarine Development Consortium, the sole bidders for the project, organised a competition to design a 220,000m² mixed-use project at the former quarry known as tas-Simar.

The Milan studio of Chapman Taylor unveiled its development plans through its website, adding that it had won the competition.

On Friday, the Times reported that Chapman Taylor admitted that its announcement was a big mistake, pointing out that the internal information was erroneously divulged. The company also insisted that the adjudication process had not been completed.

“Negotiations between the privatisation unit and the consortium are ongoing, and both sides are seeking a number of points of clarification,” Muscat said. “The issues are mainly those related to the project’s accessibility. Obviously, we don’t have control over a design company that wants to promote itself.”