Caravan site application divides nature park management board

An application for a caravan site has divided the management board running the Majjistral Park with the chairman in favour and environmental organisations sitting as members fuming about the whole idea.

Ian Castaldi Paris, the chairman, believes an organised caravan site would further enhance the popularity of the area and serve to attract people closer to the park.

This contrasts with the stand of the three NGOs entrusted with the running of the park - Din L-Art Ħelwa, Nature Trust and Gaia Foundation - which filed an objection against a development application to build a caravan site on the Natura 2000 site.

The nature and heritage conservation area in the northwest of Malta was set up in 2007 and is managed by a board made up of the NGOs' representatives under the chairmanship of Dr Castaldi Paris, nominated by the government.

Dr Castaldi Paris said when contacted that the caravan site could be one of the park's main selling points, especially with foreigners who could use the campsite or rent a caravan in an organised site. However, he stressed, the site had to be "organised" because having a shanty town would defeat the purpose and degrade the area.

He pointed out that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority was looking at the area as a potential caravan site after a private application was filed in May. This would convert an area that was already spoilt because it was used as a dumping site for material from road excavations.

The NGOs had asked the management's board to meet and discuss the issue several weeks ago but they decided to file their objection separately after no meeting was called.

The site forms part of an EU network of protected areas known as Natura 2000 and covers a significant tract of land lying between Golden Bay and Anchor Bay, in the limits of Mellieħa.

Nature Trust president Vince Attard explained that, so far, caravan sites had become shanty towns producing uncontrolled litter. "Malta has many regulations but little or no law enforcement is in place. It is useless having controlled sites if no enforcement is carried out," he said.

Creating a caravan site in the park meant facilities would have to be developed, something the NGOs had lobbied against when the government had initially proposed a golf course, Mr Attard pointed out.

The NGOs were disappointed that, while asked to manage the site, nobody had discussed the application with them beforehand.

"Our plans are to rehabilitate all degraded sites in the park rather than develop them," he said.

Yet again, he added, a project was proposed in a natural site set up to showcase biodiversity and heritage but would now require sanitary facilities.

He queried the need for another caravan site when the NGOs were discussing opening the present scout camp for people who would like to stay overnight.

Mr Attard emphasised that the NGOs had nothing against caravans but these should be given an adequate site that did not conflict with the environment.

Similarly, DLĦ president Martin Galea said Malta only had one nature park so far. There were still ways of achieving some semblance of a nature park as the NGOs were trying to control access to cars in order to prevent damage to the garigue.

"It is time to decide whether this area is to be for public use or to be taken over yet again by a specific interest group for their own entertainment," Mr Galea said.