Church commission questions feasibility of hotel development in south

The Church’s Environment Commission has called on the authorities to reconsider green-lighting a project for the construction of hotels on outside-development zone in the south-east “and take into account the heavy price we would all have to pay if this stretch of land were to end up being translated into an increased economic benefit for the few, instead of the common good.”

The commission was referring to proposals for three hotels on virgin land stretching from Smart City to Żonqor Point in the south of Malta, with one hotel earmarked to be built inside a historical fort.

The commission said it was surprised that one of the reasons justifying the project was that the land in question is “disturbed”.

“Should one accept this line of thinking, one would expect whoever has the sustainable development of the locality at heart, and is really aware of what this involves, to propose the ecological restoration of the area including the rehabilitation of the Jerma Palace Hotel.”

The commission questioned whether any studies were backing the proposal, which criteria were used to define the land of “little value”, and whether any social analysis or economic projections were carried out.

“Should not projects of this size and type be in line with a properly-drafted national strategy so that in, say, 20 years’ time we would not be far from where we, today, would like the country to be in terms of sustainable land use?

“Does the project fit into the national tourism policy? Is more investment in new hotel accommodation using national assets, such as land, desirable? Are such projects in line with plans intended to promote rural tourism as part of a strategy to boost sustainable tourism? Such a strategy would protect the development of this industry from the interests of whoever is simply after its exploitation.”

The commission also said that the fact that the project does not feature in any development plan, and that the Privatization Unit seems to be taking an important lead in this proposed project, may give the impression that developers’ interests override the need for a strategic direction for land-use planning in the country.

“Considering the high population density of our islands, one rightly expects land space to be managed with great care to ensure that any development would sustain it for a good number of years….

“Taking the coast as an example, the insensitive development carried out over the years, besides destroying permanently our precious natural heritage, has disrupted the growth of the tourism industry which it was supposed to promote. The years rolled by and we have apparently learnt very little from our past mistakes.”