The planning authority has left the door open for an agritourism development on 80,000 square metres of ecologically sensitive land at Munxar in Marsascala.
Mepa indicated last February that the permit would be tough to acquire as the development went against its Rural Policy because it lay within a scenic rural location of ecological importance.
However, it has now emerged that the developers are drawing up an environment impact assessment, which leaves the door open for the application to proceed. A planning authority spokesman yesterday confirmed the EIA is under way.
The developers plan to host guests in the setting of an active agricultural farm, also offering coastline cruises, a beach club service and ancillary pool. The plans include administration offices, tourist accommodation, a beach pontoon, beauty and therapy salon, fitness centre, wine bar, activity hall and workshops, a restaurant and a fully-equipped conference centre.
The proposal has raised the ire of a sizeable group of environmental and social NGOs, which yesterday said the development would destroy a significant stretch of undisturbed natural landscape and “defeat the very purpose of agritourism”.
Priority should be given to the redevelopment of abandoned prime sites given over to tourism, such as the Jerma Hotel
In a statement co-signed by 14 organisations, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar coordinator Astrid Vella said the proposed site was an area of high landscape value and ecological and scientific importance, abutting the Outside Development Zone designated for a national park.
“The project would have a severe negative impact on the visual integrity of the park, would require roads to be created to service the complex, and could create light and noise pollution in the area,” the NGOs said.
“The proposal to build a campus at Żonqor would already deprive the area and Malta of one stretch of virgin land; Malta can’t afford to lose more.”
The group argued that the proposed facilities had nothing to do with the purposes of agritourism, and that the tag was simply being used to disguise a hotel development. “No part of the ODZ is expendable for tourism projects; priority should be given to the redevelopment of abandoned prime sites given over to tourism such as the nearby Jerma Hotel, which lies derelict.”
In February, Mepa issued a screening letter to the developers noting farming activity had not been in operation on the site for five years and no information had been provided on whether the applicant was a registered farmer or farmer-entrepreneur.
As well as the environment assessment, the planning authority demanded a plan of all intended interventions, details of the proposed pontoon, a simplified transport study, tourism policy compliance certificate, fire safety, ventilation and noise mitigation report, and an Agricultural Advisory Committee statement.