Hotelier wants tunnel for Kalanka beach link in Delimara

Plans for the redevelopment of an abandoned hotel at Delimara’s Kalanka it-Tawwalija foresee the creation of a controversial ‘link’ to the bay through the new hotel: excavating a tunnel in the rock, down towards the secluded cove.

A project development statement presented by the developers acknowledges that since the development is located on globigerina limestone, the excavation of a tunnel to the beach raises “issues with regard to stability and changes to geomorphology” which will require further investigation and assessment. 

The proposed construction of a hotel at il-Kalanka will involve the excavation of approximately 2,708 cubic metres of rock. 

“There has to be careful consideration of the impacts of the tunnel to the bay both in terms of geology and geomorphology and the wider social impacts,” the PDS states.

One of the social impacts of the project is that it could erode “the feeling of remoteness that the site currently offers is an important consideration when assessing the potential impacts of the scheme”. 

The proposed development includes provision of public ancillary facilities, resulting in potential benefits for beach users. 

The application seeks the redevelopment of the former ‘Delimara Bay Hotel’ into an “ecological boutique hotel” of 13 luxury suites, three ‘superior deluxe’, and one ‘presidential’ suite. 

Proposed amenities will include a lounge, bar and restaurant, gym, spa and outdoor pool but also public beach facilities at il-Kalanka t-Tawwalija, including public toilets and showers, a first aid room, storage room and waste separation facilities.

A screening report by the Environment and Resources Authority said the hotel will have a significant visual impact and will change the character of a Delimara cove where it will be located “because the extent of the development will be larger than the structures already found on site in terms of height and area taken up by ancillary developments, including for food and beverage and outdoor pool and decking area.”

The Delimara Bay Hotel was built in the 1950s, and later, due to demand, another wing and an additional storey were built. Eventually, the hotel was converted into a bar and restaurant, which remained open until 1985. The building has since been in a state of disuse and is currently in disrepair.

Kenneth Abela, the sole shareholder of Delimara Bay Hotel Ltd, filed the application last year. The company was registered under another name in May 2013 and had its name changed in February 2015.