An application for a five-star hotel development at Għadira beach being considered by planning authority has received the backing of the Malta Tourism Authority.
The development is being proposed by Anthony Curmi – the owner of the Costa del Sol Restaurant – to develop the premises into a six-storey hotel.
The proposal includes the taking over a government-owned car park next to the building and developing the area next to the beach.
When contacted, a spokesman for Tourism Minister Edward Zammit Lewis said: “This particular application has been considered by the MTA in its first stage. A final decision will be taken once all the information is available.”
The 82-year-old owner of the Costa del Sol said he was optimistic that Mepa would approve the application.
“I want to invest €40 million in a five-star hotel that will transform this area into an upmarket destination,” Mr Curmi said.
“We have applied to Mepa and we are already at a very advanced stage.
“We are carrying out many environmental studies on how this development should take place while respecting all environmental laws. I see no valid reason why this development cannot take place,” Mr Curmi said.
The new hotel is expected to have up to 250 rooms and will include top-notch ancillary facilities. A preliminary agreement with a reputable foreign hotel chain has already been agreed and the development has been designed under their guidance. Asked whether he feels that a permit for this development may be difficult to obtain due to the ecological protection of the site – Għadira Bay is a Natura 2000 and a Special Protected Area – Mr Curmi said that similar beach hotels abroad already existed.
“We already have other hotels in the same area. Why should this be a problem if we make sure that the environment is still being protected?” he said.
Back in the 1990s, Mr Curmi had applied for the development of a hotel in the area. However, Mepa, under various Nationalist administrations, had refused to issue a permit and shelved the project.
“I don’t want anything that cannot be done or is against the rules. All I want is to get what I am entitled to,” Mr Curmi said.
According to Mr Curmi, the Labour-led Mellieħa council is also supporting the project.
Mr Curmi has been running the Costa del Sol since 1979 following the granting of a concession by the government.