The Malta Environment and Planning Authority rightly imposed stringent conditions on those responsible for the filming of By the Sea at Mġarr ix-Xini to ensure the film set was an entirely temporary and did not leave any ecological scars behind. This followed the legitimate brouhaha raised over the environmental damage caused at Dwejra heritage park for the filming of Game of Thrones. This seemed like one of the very few occasions when the local authorities managed to learn from hindsight so as not to perpetuate the same blunders over and over again.

Enter Victor Borg, owner of the largest private swathe of land in Gozo at Ta’ Ċenċ, with his steely resolve to forge ahead with his 20-year-old battle cry – namely to introduce ‘Malta’s first-ever heritage park and multi-ownership tourist hotel development’ on his land.

Borg’s original plans for the development of villas as part of this project have somewhat been scaled down, from the original 38 to 15, but many are cynical about this tokenism. This is especially in view the sensitivity of the land, in terms of its ecological, landscape and archaeological value. Moreover, the proposed 118-room extension to his existing hotel, literally rubbing shoulders with an area of ecological importance, is still on the cards.

It might be a coincidence but it so happens that the management plan for the Ta’ Ċenċ Natura 2000 site is the only one of 22 such plans commissioned for local terrestrial Natura 2000 sites that is missing from the relevant web-based repository (see link below).

Ta’ Ċenċ ticks all the right boxes when it comes to natural assets worth conserving. In fact, it features in a welter of relevant legislation, all meticulously listed in the case officer’s report regarding Borg’s proposed development.

For instance, regardless of any proposed downscaling or measures to mitigation its impacts, the cumulative impacts of the proposed development will cause disturbance, such as light and noise pollution, to the strictly-protected (see Annex I of the Birds Directive) bird species that nest in the cliffs and plateau adjacent to the development. The size, siting and design of the proposed project do not respect the area’s remoteness and would be more suitable as an urban development.

The cliffs adjacent to the site that Borg has earmarked for development are designated as a Natura 2000 site, and the wider Ta’ Ċenċ area contains a number of habitats that are listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive, is defined as an area of ecological importance, and features archaeological remains.

The revamped development proposal for the Ta’ Ċenċ area is the perfect litmus test for the reformed planning infrastructure in this country.Will logic and good governance be allowed to prevail in this case?

Swathes of the wider area are also designated as areas of high landscape value and also a rural conservation area, and thus the proposed development conflict with with a plethora of policies featured in the Structure Plan and the Gozo and Comino Local Plan.

As rightly pointed out by Birdlife Malta, the proposal fails to state that with the proposed extension the hotel would be literally on the border of the Ta’ Ċenċ bird sanctuary. This means there would be no buffer zone whatsoever for this important bird area.

Well over 100 objections to previous proposals for the area were submitted by environmental NGOs, Alternattiva Demokratika as well by numerous private citizens.

The latest forthright voice of protest has been raised in a press statement issued by Din l-Art Ħelwa. This laudably highlights that according to the Rural Policy and Design Guidance introduced by the new administration in 2014 to replace previous policies for Outside Development Zone areas, new residences cannot be contemplated outside development zones.

This principle is also enshrined in the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development. At least on paper, this provision should scupper Borg’s plans for the development of new bungalows. However, one must bear in mind that this planning guidance has already been given the cold shoulder at least once, with the transfer of ODZ land at Żonqor for development.

Many people have rightly drawn parallels between the proposed ‘agritourism’ project for the Munxar headland at Marsascala, and Borg’s plans for Ta’ Ċenċ. Regarding the former project, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority bit the bullet in its screening letter and declared it a ‘non-starter’; however, at least so far, Mepa has been non-committal on the fresh plans Borg has submitted for the Ta’ Ċenċ site. Having said this, in 2006-2007, then Mepa chairman Andrew Calleja had confirmed that no proposals for further villa development on the Ta’ Ċenċ plateau would be entertained.

Hotelier Victor Borg’s proposal to develop 15 villas on the plateau overlooking Mġarr ix-Xini is another slap in the face of Eco Gozo.

Another parallel can be drawn between the local councils of the two areas in question. Marsascala local council has already declared itself against the proposed development at Żonqor; meanwhile, Sannat local council is biding its time, and apparently proponents of the project are planning to deliver a public presentation later this month in the locality. Incidentally, 10 years ago, Sannat local council had submitted a comprehensive objection to the proposals then, and residents are expecting the council to adopt a similar stance this time round too.

Similarly, it would be interesting to know the Malta Developers Association’s stance on the Ta’ Ċenċ proposals, given that it had issued numerous media declarations against further ODZ development.

The revamped development proposal for the Ta’ Ċenċ area is the perfect litmus test for the reformed planning infrastructure in this country.

Borg seems to be the only voice in favour of the project, at least so far (A petition in favour of the development had been presented way back in 2007). Will logic and good governance be allowed to prevail in this case?

It is already bad enough that one of Gozo’s most idyllic coastal areas is in private hands and that Borg has the discretion to control access to large swathes of it. Giving the hotel proprietor carte blanche to develop it further would be rubbing more salt in an already sore wound.

Would Angelina Jolie have opted to film in the idyllic environs of Mġarr ix-Xini had there been an even larger group of villas overlooking the bay?

www.natura2000malta.org.mt/index.php/management-plans

www.alandeidun.eu

alan.deidun@gmail.com