AD calls for rejection of Ramla project

Alternattiva Demokratika has called on the planning authority to reject the appeal lodged by the developers of the controversial project in Ramla l-Ħamra, Gozo.

AD chairman Arnold Cassola said yesterday the government should stick to the assurance it had given the European Commission that the project had been rejected.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority board had last October revoked a permit it had given to the controversial 23-villa tourism complex just four months earlier.

The project, set to replace the former Ulysses Lodge overlooking the beautiful Ramla l-Ħamra beach, had mobilised an unprecedented protest by environmentalists and the public.

After Mepa had fiercely defended its decision to allow the project, the permit was revoked in October on a legal technicality that had been flagged by the environmentalists opposing the project before it was first approved in July.

But the developers appealed against the revocation earlier this year. In July, the process seemed to be heading towards technical complications again but in the end they were resolved and the appeal is scheduled for public hearing today.

A green Spanish MEP's attempt to re-open the issue with the European Parliament's Petitions Committee was refused some two weeks ago, on grounds that the project had been rejected.

But environmentalists are stressing that the proceedings are still going on and the project might be approved on appeal.

Mepa has pointed out that the appeals board, which will be deciding on the matter, is completely autonomous of the main board that first approved the project.