The pristine bay of Ħondoq ir-Rummien in Gozo has officially been saved from threats of overdevelopment, bringing the 20-year saga to a close.

The Environment Planning Review Tribunal tribunal has just rejected the appeal filed by applicant Gozo Prestige. 

The Qala Creek Project application first surfaced back in 2002 and has gone through many stages of hearings and appeals.

In 2016, the PA’s Planning Board unanimously voted against granting an outline development permit to construct a destination port comprising a hotel, a yacht marina, and a tourist village.

The Board cited that although the Gozo and Comino Local Plan promoted the rehabilitation of the damaged landscape resulting from the past quarrying activity in Ħondoq ir-Rummien, the type, scale, and density of the proposed project by far exceeds the interventions considered acceptable for the area.

During the last election campaign, the Labour Party had also pledged that it will make sure that the bay is not developed in any way.

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