The residents of Qawra are to hold a petition, calling on the planning authority not to allow the placing of a fix wooden kiosk on the promenade at Qawra.

The residents are arguing that this goes against the public’s right to enjoy the panoramic views and enjoy the free space. In a letter to this newspaper, the residents said that a permit goes against MEPA’s North West Local Plan.

The application is still being processed; however the permit application affixed by MEPA on 3 January 2014 has since been removed. The residents argue that this prevents residents from knowing about the pending application, and prohibits them from submitting its objections and concerns.

The residents are saying that a kiosk in such a place would be an obstruction, and eyesore, and above all, illegal.

The North West Local Plan states that ‘no additional kiosks to the number of kiosks, which possesses tradition licence/development permission prior to the adoption of this plan, or any other structure intended for the commercial use of the promenade and/or forshore from Ghajn Razul in St Paul’s Bay to Salina Bay will be allowed. MEPA will not accede to requests from applicants for land allocations on the promenade and/or the foreshore for their exclusive use, whether a permanent or temporary structure will be erected.’

The policy also bans additional structures for kiosks and associated table and chairs, sites allocated exclusively for mobile hawkers and traders or new boathouses and beach rooms. It states that the coast is already intensely used for commercial purpose and any other further intensification of use will cause a degradation of the resource.

In Bugibba, in 1997, all kiosks which were hindering the free access of the pavement to pedestrians were relocated to other less intrusive locations away from the promenade.