Labour MEP and former Prime Minister Alfred Sant said that the fear of development ruining the island of Gozo forever is real, and spreading.

"It must be the Gozitans who fight against this, if it is to be defeated," Sant said.

Sant said that the number of people who are becoming more aware of the problem, and are concerned about it, is increasing.

In a post on Facebook, Sant posted a photo of a six-storey apartment block just metres away from the sea at Xlendi, after it was controversially granted a permit to replace the building hosting the Boathouse restaurant.