The Development Planning Act lays down that “an applicant for development permission shall certify to the Authority that he is the owner of the site or that he has notified the owner of his intention to apply by registered letter of which a copy has been received by the Authority”.

It is worrying that the Qala Creek developers felt comfortable enough to propose their new plans without notifying the owners of the land that they have earmarked for a public car park and camping area, the owners being the government.

One would hope this doesn’t parallel what happened between 2002 and 2006 when they originally put forward their proposal, which went against the local plan, and Ħondoq’s outside development zone status. After “four years of pro-active consultation” between the developers and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, this led to the local plan being changed in the developers’ favour, without the Qala local council or the public being informed. It almost goes without saying that, should Qala Creek get the go ahead, the applications will come flooding in to develop all the land from Ħondoq to Mġarr, and that section of coast will be lost forever to the public.