Let Ħondoq Be Ħondoq: NGOs Call For Protection Of Unspoiled Pristine Coastline
A coalition of Gozo-based NGOs are calling for the protection of the pristine coastline of Ħondoq ahead of the appeal decision this Thursday.
The Environment Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT) is set to seal the fate of Ħondoq Bay this week, with the decision being described as a “momentous” one.
“In the view of the coalition for Gozo, this will decide the fate not just of Ħondoq but indeed of all Gozo. This large-scale project will change the face of Gozo forever if it is allowed to go ahead,” the NGOs said in a statement.
“The local plans and policies do not allow projects of this nature, and one shudders to contemplate that the coastline around Ħondoq, which has so far remained pristine, could be consigned to the dustbin of history.”
The coalition for Gozo, which includes Din L-Art Ħelwa, Għawdix, and Wirt Għawdex, also strongly supports the stance of the Mayor of Qala, Paul Buttigieg, who has been successfully opposing this project on behalf of the people of Qala and indeed the entire island for 20 years.
So far, the proposal, spread over 104,000 square meters of virgin land, which includes a hotel, apartments, villas, residences, restaurants, retail outlets, and a marina, has been unanimously rejected by the Planning Authority. The developers then appealed the decision.
The coalition expressed that it trusts that the EPRT will “recognise the existential damage that a project of this scale will cause to the island of Gozo and firmly reject this proposal once and for all”.
“The coalition maintains that those areas of Ħondoq which are still unspoiled and pristine should remain so, while areas which have been defaced should be rehabilitated to better reflect the natural environment which characterises this coastline.”
“This will serve both to provide a respite for nature, and to guarantee the enjoyment of this site by present and future generations of Gozitans, Maltese and international residents and visitors to Gozo.”
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