International architects firm Chapman Taylor are saying on their website that they will be building a cruise ship terminal next to a luxury yacht centre and residential apartments in Gozo.

Situated on the easternmost point of the island of Gozo, this innovative mixed-use project comprises of the construction of a cruise ship terminal, a contemporary yacht haven, residential apartments, villas, a retail & leisure promenade and a luxury hotel, the firm said.

The area in question, according to marine biologist Alan Deidun, is within the NE Marine Protected Area within Qala. The quarry in question is the one that was used to cut the stones for the new Parliament building.

The news comes in the wake of a controversy over the building of a university at Zonqor Point, which has led to a public outcry over a decision to use pristine land in an outside development zone for the project.

“Our design captures the highly expressive potential of the site, carefully manipulating the roughness of the coast line and blending it into the delicate Mediterranean landscape. The building designs exploit the stunning panoramic views from the cliffs," the firm said.

“The difficulties of converting an old quarry into a modern mixed-use scheme is an architectural challenge to look forward to but at the same time our design retains the sites delicate and harsh beauty,” the firm said.

The marina will be excavated, the apartments will emerge from the cliffs, villas will be built and their terraced green gardens will cascade down to the sea following the natural slope. The original limestone rock will be the most important construction material and the source of all the architecture.

The project, estimated to cost €300 million, is expected to start next year and will be completed in 2022.

The news was uploaded on the firm's site two days ago. The government is still to make an announcement.

Fourteen entries were shortlisted in the international competition to design a new resort and cruise terminal along this dramatic piece of coastline in Gozo and it was Chapman Taylor’s resourceful proposal that beat the competition.

The scheme comprises of a new cruise terminal building and contemporary yacht marina, residential apartments, villas, luxury hotel and retail and leisure facilities all with panoramic views of the ocean. Chapman Taylor’s Milan team  meticulously designed the new development to blend into the Mediterranean landscape, carefully manipulating the roughness of the coastline overhanging the site. The land was previously occupied by an old quarry, which meant a complex and challenging task for the architects to deliver a contemporary design that still retains the delicate and harsh beauty of the surroundings.

The new marina will be excavated and settled in a limestone cove eroded by both nature and man, the apartments will emerge from the cliffs and their facades built from the same rock, the villas within their terraced green gardens will cascade down to the sea following the natural slope of the headland.  Essentially, the rock itself has enforced the architecture and acts as the most important construction material that the buildings are merged into.