Gozo’s idyllic Ħondoq bay was recently awarded Blue Flag recognition which a lobby group hopes could help save it from a looming “mega development”.
Moviment Ħarsien Ħondoq founder Paul Buttigieg told the Times of Malta he was delighted that Blue Flag International had just awarded the bay with Beach of Quality status. This will see the bay’s cleansing step up, as well as new facilities and access installed.
A 'Beach of Quality' award means a beach has satisfied 70 per cent of the stringent criteria required to achieve fully-fledged Blue Flag status.
“This is great news for all those who have worked hard in their continued fight to protect the area from developers,” Mr Buttigieg said.
The MHH has, for the past 15 years, been fighting a proposed project which would double the size of the existing village surrounding the bay with hundreds of residential units.
This is great news for all those who have worked hard in their continued fight to protect the area from developers
Mr Buttigieg, who is also the deputy mayor of Qala, said several expert recommendations on the project had been handed to the planning authority which gave the development of the coastal area the thumbs down.
NGOs and some 5,000 residents – 85 per cent of those living in Qala – had over the years repeatedly expressed their disapproval of developing the coastal area.
This Blue Flag recognition, Mr Buttigieg said, was further confirmation that the area should be protected.
He said that “hopefully” the long-awaited planning authority report on the project and the area would be released in the coming weeks.
“We are waiting with bated breath for this report and we hope it lands in favour of saving the beautiful Ħondoq from development,” Mr Buttigieg said.
The lobby group is pushing beyond having the development halted, saying this was “just the first step”.
“Then it will be possible to move forward and push for the area to be become a national park. In this way we will be able to rest assured that the area will be protected, for generations to come.”