Hotels' association backs polemical Għadira road plan

The hotels' association has come out in support of the controversial plan to replace the road that runs along Għadira Bay with one further inland, saying such a development would boost tourism.

"The proposed development should result in an enormous boost to our island's touristic potential, especially considering that Għadira should be Malta's flagship beach, in view of the scarcity of sizeable sandy beaches on the Maltese Islands," the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association.

The government says the project is necessary to safeguard the beach - Malta's largest sandy stretch - from shrinkage.

However, the new road would replace the present thoroughfare with one that cuts through the back of a bird sanctuary and a Natura 2000 site, and has therefore received a hostile reaction from leading environment NGOs.

They have suggested that the road is unnecessary and have challenged the government to prove that the beach is shrinking.

The MHRA yesterday said the project must not negatively affect the reserves in the area and underlined the need for an in-depth consultation process and detailed planning.

"It is this balance that (the) government and all the interested parties - whether those directly involved, hotel owners, (non-governmental organisations) or otherwise - must strive to achieve in the interest of sustainable development," the association said.

One of the beneficiaries of the project will be the Seabank Hotel, a member of the association, as the road that now runs in front of it would be replaced by an enlarged beach. Transport Minister Austin Gatt has, however, said he would oppose any beach concessions for the hotel.

A project application has been submitted to the planning authority and will now be subjected to an environment impact assessment. The government has said it would withdraw its plans should they prove to be unsustainable.