The White Rocks Development Consortium (WRDC) “remains fully committed to the development proposal it made to government,” hotelier Tony Zahra told The Malta Independent.
The development of the White Rocks site has been in limbo for a number of years, with many questioning whether it will ever go through. The site in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq covers an area of 450,000 square metres, which includes the complex built by the British Forces in the 1960s.
The Malta Independent contacted Tony Zahra to answer a number of questions on behalf of the Consortium. He was asked whether they are still negotiating for the project, for information as to the stage of negotiations and for details on their current plans for the site.
“The White Rocks Development Consortium remains fully committed to the development proposal it made to government, having won the international competitive call for proposals issued by government through an open and transparent process which attracted interest from 11 consortia from around the world,” Zahra responded.
“This has been reported in detail by the local media. Should there be any further updates or information to be shared, a press release with full details will be issued at the appropriate time through the company's official spokesperson and this will also fully address the questions you have asked.”
When the project was announced back in January 2018, it was said that the consortium planned to develop the area into a mixed-use complex, which would include a seven-star luxury hotel along with leisure, hospitality, residential and commercial units. The project was to also see large portions of the site dedicated to public space, including a 100,000-square-metre garigue heritage park, public access to the shoreline, and coastline restoration. The investment for the land in question was reportedly expected to total €400 million.
The deal, however, was not without points of contention. The consortium had reached an agreement with the government over the use of the site in January 2018. In 2019 this newsroom reported that the government had estimated the value of the White Rocks site in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq at around €120 million, which was almost five times what the White Rocks Development Consortium (WRDC) was reportedly offering at the time. Tony Zahra had told this newsroom back in 2018 that the consortium was paying "top dollar, the highest of the market prices" for the site, and while he had not divulged the price Zahra had insisted that certain elements needed to be factored in including a substantial investment in the surrounding infrastructure and road network which, he had said, would cost €80 million.
Development of the site was initially attempted back in 1999 by a Nationalist government but failed to gain any momentum and was put on hold. In 2010, there was an attempt to develop the site as a sports village but, again, this did not gain enough interest.
The land is also scheduled as a Natura 2000 site, and any area of archaeological and/or historical value must be given priority in terms of conservation, with high-quality landscaping necessary as part of any proposal.