The Planning Authority yesterday gave the go-ahead to sanction long-standing illegalities at the Hilton beach club, as well as an extension of the club, despite environmental concerns.
The application, which dates back to 1999, includes the sanctioning of the existing 3,670 square metre beach club within the Portomaso complex, as well as stores, boathouses and other facilities. It also includes extending the beach club and the relocation of the existing lighthouse.
The proposed extension raised the concerns of the Environment Protection Directorate, which said the encroachment of development onto the rocky foreshore, and the obliteration of the buffer zone, were not in line with the recommendations of the original environment impact assessment.
However, the changes in relation to the boathouses, which are screened from long-distance views by an existing sea wall, were considered unlikely to have any significant environmental impacts. Serious concerns were also raised by environmental NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, which this week filed a judicial protest against the PA and individual board members, holding them responsible for ensuring that the newly-sanctioned plans did not block public access to the foreshore.
During a public meeting yesterday, FAA coordinator Astrid Vella argued that the area of the coast should be protected under the Public Domain Act signed into law just last week.
The law is designed to ensure that the public is able to use, access and enjoy such areas for recreational and social purposes, and does not require any formal designation or registration for coastline sites to be protected.
“The go-ahead for the private colonisation of the area effectively nullifies the law regarding public domain, showing that the PA is reluctant to implement the law and puts private gain before public interest,” Ms Vella said.
“This is all the more serious considering that the case in question was the sanctioning of an illegal development and sets a precedent for other infringements of the public domain.”
The board, however, yesterday agreed with the conclusions of the Planning Directorate, that the sanctioned works were not considered to have an adverse impact on the surroundings.
The application was also considered to respect the general thrust of the local plan policy for the area, which allows for the introduction of ancillary tourist facilities to existing hotels.
As for the beach club facilities, the directorate noted that considering the stores are completely below the beach club’s level, they did not create a visual impact in the overall context.
The board voted to approve the sanctioning and extension with just one vote against.