The Appeals Court has quashed an attempt by the developer behind a mega-project at Ħondoq ir-Rummien in Gozo to get the Planning Authority’s refusal for his plans to be overturned.
The news was announced by Qala mayor Paul Buttigieg, who has spearheaded all opposition to the project over the course of more than two decades.
Buttigieg said on his Facebook page that the Court of Appeal’s judgement had confirmed the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT)’s decision to reject the developer’s appeal to the PA’s initial refusal.
The court said that the PA was right to reject the plans after the Environmental Impact Assessment on the project had been finalised, and also confirmed that the mayor’s inclusion in the planning appeal process did not constitute a conflict of interest, Buttigieg said.
“The judgment confirms that the yacht marina and tourism village will not take place,” Buttigieg said.
"It is now time for the next step: for the government to give public access and enjoyment of Ħondoq on a permanent basis," he added.
NGO Moviment Graffitti also said that the government must give the highest protection to Ħondoq so that these types of developments are no longer proposed.
The refusal of the court appeal brings to a definitive end to the saga which has lasted for 21 years.
The Ħondoq saga dates back to 2002, when a huge area was acquired from the government by Victor Bajada’s Gozo Prestige, with a planning application having been filed to turn the area into a port and yacht marina along with a 195 bedroom hotel and 300 apartments.
In 2006, the then-Nationalist Government had decided in Cabinet, and behind the backs of the village’s local council, to change the status of Ħondoq bay in the Gozo Local Plan from one where it was in ODZ as an afforestation, to one which would consider “tourism and marine-related development.”
The application for the marina, and what is effectively a whole new village along with it, was rejected by the Planning Authority, but an appeal filed in 2016 had been ongoing ever since.
The project has been subject to a strong campaign of opposition, spearheaded by Qala mayor Paul Buttigieg who also called for the area to be re-zoned as an ODZ.
The EPRT issued its decision on the appeal last November, stating that the appeal which had been filed by Gozo Prestige had been refused. The appeal process had been ongoing for five years since the PA had rejected the original proposal.
The PN has welcomed with satisfaction the decision of the Court of Appeal, which confirmed no further development in Ħondoq ir-Rummien.
In a statement, the Nationalist Party said that it has been working for years to ensure that this area of land remains for the benefit of the entire population.
The PN slammed government for adopting a populist stance, saying it is against this project, even though they had previously been quiet about their public position on the matter before the general election, including Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri who was once Mayor of Qala.
Prime Minister Robert Abela has also welcomed the decision, saying that the decision confirms "our consistent position against development in Hondoq."