NGOs see improvement in Ta'Cenc Hotel extension plans

The latest proposals for the extension of Ta' Cenc Hotel in Gozo are a significant improvement on the original plans, Din l-Art Helwa and Nature Trust (Malta) said today.

"The developer has made a significant effort to conform to the provisions of the Structure Plan," they said, adding however that they still had some concerns.

"One of these is the area near Mgarr ix-Xini that has been earmarked for villas by the developer, and which has now been left out of the plans to be considered at a later stage, as this part of the proposal is under appeal. DLH and NTM believe that this area cannot be left out as plans for the Ta' Cenc site should be viewed holistically."

They said that another outstanding issue was the proposed hotel extension to the south of the existing hotel, encroaching on a bird sanctuary. This, they said, could set a dangerous precedent for development proposals in other protected areas.

The NGOs also call on the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to schedule the area at Ta' Cenc which has been recommended for scheduling by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage. This area lies behind the grounds of the existing Ta' Cenc hotel and around the Tal-Gruwa ridge which overlooks Xewkija, and contains archaeological remains of national importance such as dolmens and their associated features.