Naxxar Mayor Anne Marie Muscat Fenech Adami has appealed for the immediate suspension of the application to the Planning Authority by Infrastructure Malta to develop a part of the Coast Road into a temporary caravan site.
The decision on PA 4988/21 will be made this Friday 15 July, Muscat Fenech Adami said.
Speaking at a press conference at the site, Muscat Fenech Adami said that the Naxxar Local Council has major reservations towards the application, namely the fact that IM had never consulted with the local council regarding the plans, claiming that they were not even informed.
“What is worse is that the application was rushed during a time where the local council was presenting a bye-law regarding caravans to the Minister for Local Government,” Muscat Fenech Adami said.
Muscat Fenech Adami said that the local council is not against having caravan sites but it cannot accept the plan as it was presented. She said that the only sanitary facilities included in the plan are those of mobile toilets.
Muscat Fenech Adami also expressed concern over whether the temporary caravan site would truly remain temporary or if it would allow some people to set up residency at the site permanently.
She proposed for a properly equipped caravan site which can be enjoyed by the greatest amount of people, being Maltese or tourists. Muscat Fenech Adami said that the site should also be made attractive for water sports such as windsurfing.
“It is our duty to maximise the limited space the country has and we must work to attract a higher quality of tourists to the country,” she said.
A resident at the site asked the mayor about another caravan site a few metres away in the coast road, which was initially meant to be temporary. Muscat Fenech Adami said that they have presented a bye-law to the Ministry for Local Government around a month and a half ago, and have yet to receive a reply.
Muscat Fenech Adami appealed for the immediate suspension of the application and for a discussion with the local council for a more suitable project for the area.