Mepa approves Dwejra project changes

joe muscat

Mar 19th 2010, 10:41

EU clears Malta over extension of zones......and MEPA continues to approve

Gorge Bajada

Mar 19th 2010, 03:10

To reduce the visual impact of this monster (development) is to demolish it completely with-in three months. It's an eye shore now and will always be which ever material is used.

An interpretation centre? use one of the existing building and if it's not accessible for people with special needs, make it accessible. The same apply if you like a bite to eat, a cafe would be ideal more than a restaurant, which a boat house or two will do. If you prefer a restaurant, there are a lot to choose from all around the island. San Lawrenz is only 3 minutes up the road.

This is another arrogant decision over NGOs and slap in the face to the environment. What a corrupt democracy!!

Antonio Anastasi

Mar 18th 2010, 22:19

@Kleaven Maniscalco
I often visit the Inland Sea with Tourists to dive the site.
They find the boathouses quaint and the location peaceful.
They prefer to lunch down in the secluded Inland Sea rather than the car park.
Often I am asked what that concrete monstrosity is doing there.
The boast houses are not built for pickup, but are used primarily to shed the fishing boats.
It is true that SOME of these boat houses are painted over, but most are not.
An ordinance demanding that these be rendered back to bare stone would correct that.
Many fishermen that use the area actually take their boats away with them lacking the use of a boathouse.
Kindly remember that a few years ago what was the then PA had slapped a stop notice on quite a few of these boathouses when attempts were made to build flatlets above them, this was done to protect the location from eyesores and preserve the environment.
A radical about face from today's decision.

Peadar Farrell

Mar 18th 2010, 22:04

This is a very bad decision MEPA. Once built this will be there forever. Have you thought out all the servicing such a building will need, daily trucks with bread, milk, meats and various deliveries. What about water supply, sewage, toilets, public safety on that very steep hill at the entrance. Is there enough electricity in the area, are the local roads capable of handling all the daily truck movements. Will the Dustbin lorry call every day also? Where and how will they store their rubbish Best practice in Europe is to locate interpretive centres many miles away from sensitive sites. In Ireland our oldest Monument is about 5000 years old http://www.newgrange.com/visitor.htm and the interpretive centre is miles from the structure. Think of the future your grandchildren deserve to see Djewra as you first did.

James A. Tyrrell

Mar 18th 2010, 21:19

This is the same MEPA who turned down plans for a restaurant in this sensitive area on numerous occasions but have now decided that a restaurant is fine as long as it has a really ugly impact on the area.

MEPA state, "The permit was approved with the prime purpose of significantly reducing the visual impact of this development." Surely the best way to reduce the visual impact of the development would have been to have it removed and the site returned to it's original condition.

But no, the drive by MEPA to destroy the tourist potential of the entire island carries on unabated. And the word to all the developers out there is to keep trying and MEPA will allow you to destroy an ODZ site.

Kleaven Maniscalco

Mar 18th 2010, 20:50

@ Antonio Anastasi
I do not think that plastic painted rooms, proportionally wrong rooms (l-aqwa li jidhol il pickup u l-ispeed boat) complement the landscape. And sorry by no way does your poetic way of defining the boathouses describe the reality. What I said before does not imply that I an in favour of such project, but I cannot say I am against either as I haven't seen the details.

@Mr. Cunngham

I am against any kind of environmental rape. But than and again, it is better to do a good project than to leave the site as derelict.

P Buttigieg

Mar 18th 2010, 19:32

Is this the new MEPA reform?

I would like to congratulate Roderick Galdes for having the guts to say NO to this "interpretation centre" which could have easily been put in already existing building.

The more permits that are issued in ODZ similar to this one, the more people are getting frustrated with MEPA.

lesley kreupl

Mar 18th 2010, 18:58

The mayor of San Lawrenz is obviously fully behind turning Dwejra into a Swiss village complete with wooden chalets – see the toilet manager's office for a start!
Wood certainly does not fit in the landscape, unless it is heavily treated with all sorts of chemicals or paint it will rot very quickly. This whole project reeks of decay where it matters most and I am not talking about woodworms!
If the cesspit was also sanctioned, we can soon say goodbye to one of the best diving spots in Gozo! It is already not recommended to swim in the Inland sea after June.
Next thing we know, all the boat houses will be able to add two or three floors and as someone commented perhaps a hotel or two? All with their own cesspits of course!
This is a truly disgusting decision of MEPA. Mr. Walker you should be ashamed of yourself. I will not suggest what the PM should be!

Adrian Borg Cardona

Mar 18th 2010, 18:23

A wooden frame is not characteristic of Maltese architecture. A few years ago somebody I know was asked to remove some pan tiles which were over the front door of his house - the reason given was that these were not of a Maltese character! And this on a newly built house. Typical MePA decisions. It would be good to know who will be running this restaurant in Dwejra. When will our Govt intervene to stop MePA ruining our country??

Antonio Anastasi

Mar 18th 2010, 17:45

@Kleaven Maniscalco the boat houses at inland sea have the value of some being a couple of hundred years old and reflect traditional stone work, they do not compete with the natural beauty of Dwejra, nor do the diminish its majesty.
On the contrary, they fit into the environment perfectly and are therefore protected from farther developement.

Anthony Mizzi

Mar 18th 2010, 17:20

@Ivan Cassar

Correction. Roderick Galdes has always been there, like a voice in a dessert filled with arrogance of Gonzipn nominated MEPA Board members who never nibble the hand that feeds them.

He was there for instance Bahrija and other controversial permits issued once these were "MEPA ised." - Malta Environment Permit Abuses.

No hands are firm enough in the Gonzi administration to curb such obscenities, not even Dr. Lawrence Gonzi himself who only seems to take pleasure with the greenery in roundabous and traffic islands .......

P Mifsud

Mar 18th 2010, 16:10

Who will be manning the intepretation centre? Is it an NGO?

M Saliba

Mar 18th 2010, 16:09

Was it more important to built an interpretation centre in Dwejra than preserving its uniqueness? The interpretation centre and restaurant could be built somewhere else on the island. What is the exact meaning of Eco Gozo?

There are other important matters which are taking ages (or maybe centuries) to complete like:

The roads leading to Dwejra and Xlendi
The small stretch of road leading to Ta Pinu
The Villa Rundle
The bad state Ghajn Qatet Street was left after several trenches were dug
+ much more..

A.Gauci Cunningham

Mar 18th 2010, 15:32

@Maniscalco---Now it's become customary for people like you to hide wrong decisions behind the thinly veiled guise of "heqq it was a hard decision to take hux jahasra". These people should be there to reach a balance between environmental and development exigencies and to protect our natural heritage of which Dwejra forms an important part. opening up the possibility for this and most probably other developers to build in such a naturally sensitive site does not exactly tally with their mission statement ,does it? And sorry but your argument about the boathouses is rather pathetic! Its pretty much like saying "u issa rape a little bit more once we have already started the rape."

Jonathan McBee

Mar 18th 2010, 15:29

Can we please stop ruining the precious few natural areas left on this island of rock, steel and concrete? It's becoming unbearable!

Ivan Cassar

Mar 18th 2010, 14:50

For once Roderick Galdes is the only one who made the decent thing in this vote.

Tony Borg (H'Attard)

Mar 18th 2010, 14:41

Before commenting on this issue, can anyone here please enlighten me as to what this structure actually is (interpretation centre at Dwejra, in Gozo)?

A Mercieca

Mar 18th 2010, 14:38

Is this and interpretation centre for Eco Gozo ? SHAAAAAAAAAAME ON MEPA. We will sonn have the Ramla and Hondoq developments approved. Eco Gozo ? MEPA IS DESTROYING GOZO FOREVER. Tourism in Gozo is being destroyed.

Wilfred L. Camilleri

Mar 18th 2010, 14:37

What a shame that MEPA has capitulated to outside pressure to allow this monstrosity (concrete or wood) to go on. It would have been better to demolish all the buildings in the area and return the site to its original pristine state. An interpretation centre, although I dont't know why one is even needed, and a restaurant could be built at the top of the road leading to Dwejra. Nothing else is really acceptable!

M. Mercieca

Mar 18th 2010, 14:17

I feel disgusted.

Dr. Gonzi, your reform was supposed to stop this rape!

Even if you now make the best MEPA reform, in my opinion you will continue to be responsible for this obscenity, that of Bahrija and all the others.

Unfortunately most Maltese will quickly forget and will be happy to go eating at the new Dwejra restaurant, ignoring the fact that with their money they would be financing the next rape.

This is why we deserve leaders like Dr. Gonzi

S.Bonnici

Mar 18th 2010, 14:06

Eco-island, pajjizna iwarrad mill-gdid, etc etc lot of buzz words and we KEEP ON DESTROYING OUR ISLANDS, thanks PN

Joseph Aquilina

Mar 18th 2010, 14:03

Since this was an ODZ then can MEPA clearly tell the people why it has given the go ahead for this building?

Rev. Joe Inguanez

Mar 18th 2010, 13:58

SHAME... WILL THIS CENTRE INTERPRET HOW THE SUN RISES IN THE MORNING ANS SETS AT DAWN? IS THERE A NEED FOR A RESTAURANT? WILL THIS CENTRE INTREPRET LIES?
JOE INGUANEZ

Alison Natalie Keeler

Mar 18th 2010, 13:51

So, that's now Dwejra, Marsalforn and (potentially) Hondoq, all desecrated with MEPA's and other official approval. What next, a Splash and Fun park at Ramla?

As a foreigner blessed to enjoy life on Gozo, I cannot comprehend why these instances are being allowed to happen. The island's tiny size means every inch counts; and not simply in financial terms. The Maltese natural heritage - its landscape beauty, once lost, can never be replaced.

Anna Spiteri

Mar 18th 2010, 13:43

Can we know who exactly makes such decisions at MEPA about such gross landscape intrusions?? Years ago, a few of us at a 'European Earth Heritage' meeting in Ireland wrote to the newspapers there to stop the building of an interpretation centre on the Burren karst plateau of north-west Co. Clare. And we succeeded! The Dwejra area is another fine example of a Karst landscape, and such a rich geological landscape demands to be respected, understood, and treated with the awe it is due! Explanation boards on site will do just fine....or is the interpretation centre an excuse for a permit for a restaurant? .... sadly I know that no amount of writing to the newspapers will change the much misinformed mindset of MEPA....... The MEPA Reform should state that their mandate is to ensure our Quality of Life and that of the Environment we live in.... and they have to be given the right training so they will stop doing the opposite!

Kleaven Maniscalco

Mar 18th 2010, 13:22

Everyone here is complaining about the new development and its approval by mepa, but one has to remember that this is no green site. This is a site inpested with boathouses with no architectural value whatsoever. What about these. Are they invisible or what? This project ma be interesting or may be a total disaster, but at least one has to see what is being proposed to comment. After all rural architecture is about complementing nature, but the boat houses there are doing anything but complementing. What I am saying is that it is easy to accuse but it is very difficult to take decisions when you are in a mepa board.

r ferriggi

Mar 18th 2010, 13:12

if there EVER was a blasphemy............ it is THIS one.

laurence schembri

Mar 18th 2010, 13:10

Please, someone tell me that this is a joke. Demolish this reformed entity.

J Galea

Mar 18th 2010, 13:05

A very sad day indeed! i am really lost for words...

George Vella

Mar 18th 2010, 13:02

Shame on you MEPA for this outrageous decision!! Any visual impact, whether made of wood, concrete, aluminum or GOLD, will be detrimental to this very sensitive area. Once again SHAME on you all and do us all a favour and RESIGN.

Antonio Anastasi

Mar 18th 2010, 12:50

Not only is an illegal ODZ building sanctioned, but the top floor should be in wood???
Since when is Wood buildings part of our architectural and cultural heritage, especially on a site like Dwejra.
If MEPA had a an any idea of preservation they would have recommended that the place be rebuilt as was and out of recycled limestone blocks.
a thank you to Roderick Galdes for voting against the project.

Phil Humphries

Mar 18th 2010, 12:48

"interpretation centre?" - Am I wrongly interpreting this as a thinly disguised excuse to ignore regulations and build a restaurant, or is there another interpretation of what is occuring here?

Joe Cassar

Mar 18th 2010, 12:40

@ Mr Anmthony Borg

Don't confuse the issue. This "gift" to our future generations is a purely PN gift. The kind we have becomre used to.

Edwin Mifsud

Mar 18th 2010, 12:29

"Reforma fil MEPA"

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

George Farrugia

Mar 18th 2010, 12:25

And the island is eco-Gozo!

P. Schembri

Mar 18th 2010, 12:25

Another area bites the dust! With the excuse of this building soon there will be others (hbieb tal-hbieb?) Who knows? Soon there will be nothing left for our children to enjoy except a concrete jungle. Mepa, the sole excuse and perpetrator of the destruction of our environment! This is truly the Maltese Frankenstein!

Victor Laiviera

Mar 18th 2010, 12:25

The final proof, if any proof was needed that the famous "MEPA reform" was just a sham and an empty elactoral promise

What a shameful way to treat the people.

Anthony Borg

Mar 18th 2010, 12:14

"A country gets what it deserves"

Conitue voting PNPL and expect more of the same.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJQrvDYTGcE

mario gellel

Mar 18th 2010, 12:13

MEPA IS THE MOST SHARP DAGGER STUCK IN OUR GREEN AREA BACKBONE.
IT IS ONLY THERE TO SERVE THE "HBIEB TAL-HBIEB" OF THE PN AND IGNORE THE REST.

Pamela Hansen

Mar 18th 2010, 11:59

Lesser visual impact!
Shame on MEPA.
Who is looking after our heritage?
Lots of words no action.