Church says Augustinians wrong to sell Hondoq land to marina developers
Church’s environment commission says Order that sold land to Gozo Prestige ‘did not care about the harm this development could cause’
24 April 2013, 12:00am
Matthew Vella
Matthew Vella
1 min read
Hondoq ir-Rummien, in Qala, Gozo
The Church's environment commission has given the thumbs-down to the appeal by developers Gozo Prestige, who are asking the planning authority (MEPA) to allow it present amended plans to its project for a hotel, luxury apartments and marina at Hondoq ir-Rummien, in Qala.
Gozo Prestige is being asked to submit new plans to their project, which has already been refused, but the company is appealing this decision so that it can present amended plans that do not include the yacht marina instead of starting the expensive process afresh.
"This project is not sustainable and it is hard to justify it as something that represents a long-term generator of greater wealth and better quality of life for Gozitans," the Church's commission, a panel of experts that advise the Maltese archdiocese on environmental matters, said.
"This project will not conserve the landscape and beauty of the surrounding environment, which should be the principal asset that attracts tourists to Gozo. With the excuse that the present quarry is to be developed, the peril is that land speculation takes place without considering what is the tourism product that must be offered."
The commission, represented by Fr Eric Overend and Prof. Paul Pace, also took to task - without mentioning their name - the Augustinian Order that sold the land to Gozo Prestige.
"It was a pity that the developer was allowed to buy the land without the seller having realised or cared about the harm that this sale could have generated," the commission said.
The land was sold on a conditional basis that should the land be developed successfully, the seller would be compensated with a higher price per square metre of land sold.
Matthew Vella, a freelance journalist at MaltaToday, was formerly executive editor at Malt...
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@joedebono: Nahseb li qed tghix fi pjaneta differenti min taghna! Mela jekk tkun komunita' Religjuza ta' Patrijiet ghandha xi dispensa specjali mill-hallieq biex tinnegozja art ta' daqstant importanza ambjentali ghall izvilupp?! U jekk nistaqsik fuq il-kaz jahraq tac-Cimiterju tan-Nadur, dan mhux zvilupp purament ekklezjastiku instigat u mmanigjat mill-Knisja, bil-barka u l-insistenza ta' hadd hlief l-Isqof t'Ghawdex? Ghaliex ma tkellmitx dwar dan il-Kummissjoni tal-Ambjent fi hdan il-Kurja? B'min tahsbu li ha tidhqu ja farizej w oqbra mbajda!
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@maxum; The church was always against development in Hondoq. You have to seek U-turns elsewhere in our society. The Parish Priest of Qala was always on the forefront against the Marina and development project. It is simply not on. Chambray is only 1.5 km away and it is empty. Any new major development would bring about depreciation of existing empty development. With some additional 20 villas the market in Gozo becomes over-saturated. With the proposed development in Hondoq the property market in Gozo is ruined. Gozitans, Maltese and tourists alike need Hondoq as an alternative bay when weather conditions are bad for Ramla. There is no other accessible bay in Gozo. I am proud that the church is on the right side. I am very concerned that our leading politicians are on the wrong side this time.
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Din ta Hondoq ir-Rummien ghandha tigi mwarrba mill-MEPA darba ghal dejjem. Kemm se indumu nkaxxkru saqajna? Kemm il-darba trid tigi refused biex nghidu daqshekk? Hondoq ir-Rummien ghandu jigi riabilitat u jitgawda minn kullhadd. Tghid kienu jafu x'qed jaghmlu l-Agostinjani li bieghu din l-art lil Gozo Prestige? Jiena smajt li fl-istess art kien hemm kappella kkonsagrata ( Il-Madonna tal-Blat) li giet mibjugha mal-kumplament tal-art. Nahseb li dawn l-Agostinjani flus kienu qed jaraw u gew jitmejlu minn kollox. Il-kumplament tal-art imnejn gabuwa tal-Gozo Prestige? Ghaddilhom il-gvern jaqaw? Nahseb li huwa xiereq li l-poplu jkun jaf l-istorja kollha fuq dan il-kaz. Il-Malta Today ghandha tinvestiga daqsxejn bir-reqqa din l-istorja ghax nahseb li fija ftit haxix mhux hazin.
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Da zgur "li meta giethom ix-xoqqa f'moxta", l-Agostinjani telqu din l-art prezjuza f'idejn l-ispekulaturi. Bl-akbar rispett lejn min ghandu niskata ntelligenza: min kien qed jistenna ghemil differenti mill-patrijiet, mhux dejjem hekk ghamlu? Dawn mhux is-Saltna t'Alla u l-harsien tal-Ambjent ifittxu l-ewwel, izda l-gwadann tal-gid materjali! Mela nsejtu x'kienu ghamlu f'Paceville, li kienu huma l-kagun tal-qerda tieghu. U dan passat ricenti, ghax ilhom jaghmlu hekk sekli shah! Forsi issa li ghandhom fosthom is-sapjenza ta' Kardinal, jibdew jahsbu mod iehor!!!!!
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Well done to the church commission for speaking out against this monster of a project. That area should be a protected area for the general public to enjoy. Gozo needs more jobs but more apartments do not create the jobs that Gozo deserves. The tourists come to Gozo because of its natural beauty not to see a concrete jungle. To those in authority please LISTEN to the tourists and those who really have Gozo's best interest at heart (beware of speculators)and from them you will know what is really needed for Gozo. Gozo came the sixth most beuatiful island reecntly, why? Definitely because it is not a concrete jungle!!
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I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO,OR FROM WERE THE AUGUSTINIANS GOT ALL THIS LAND?
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Surprise!!! why didn't our beloved church came up with this consideration some months ago???? Jaqaw issa hemm xi Conflict of Interest? Issa saret hazin li tizvilupa, imma ftit xhur ilu ma jimpurtax? Prosit Ghalik Eric!! ma tantx jiehdu gost bik b din il fehma iz-zwieten shabek!!
