Environmental organisations are urging the public to oppose developers’ plans to create a complex of villas on the island of Comino as part of the proposed plans for the new Comino Hotel filed by Hili Group. Objections to this development application (PA/4777/20) can be submitted to the Planning Authority by the 23rd January via this online form: https://pa.movimentgraffitti.org/permit/24

The plans, currently being considered by the Planning Authority, would see the site of the former Comino Hotel redeveloped, including the replacement of the nine derelict bungalows currently at Santa Marija Bay by a much larger complex of 19 villas complete with convenience store and amenities, in what could become a “Comino village” of permanent residences through use of legal loopholes.

Comino is designated as a Rural Conservation Area, a Nature Reserve, a Special Area of Conservation, a Special Protection Area, an Important Bird Area (IBA) of International and EU Importance, a Natura 2000 site, a Bird Sanctuary, and a Dark Sky Heritage site. The proposed development is not compatible with any of these designations and has been described as “monstrous” and an “occupation by stealth” of this island which should be held in trust for all Maltese and Gozitan residents to enjoy.

The influx of heavy equipment, construction materials and workforce would cause massive environmental impact, as well as the irreversible destruction of areas of natural habitat for the complex itself and the greater area of disturbance around it. There are also grave concerns about increased traffic introduced to the area, and the handling and treatment of supplies and waste leading to an increase in vermin and litter which are directly harmful to the delicate local ecosystem, including populations of protected vulnerable Yelkouan Shearwaters in the direct vicinity.

ERA’s approval of the project is currently being appealed with the Planning Tribunal (EPRT) by several organisations.

It is shocking that such a development is even being considered. The public should take the opportunity to express their frustration at this proposed development, and remind the Planning Authority that their duty does not lie with developers and big business, but towards the greater good “on behalf of the community to provide a balanced and sustainable environment”, as per their mission statement.

The organisations filing the objection to PA/4777/20 are BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust Malta – FEE, and Ramblers’ Association of Malta.

Numru ta’ għaqdiet qegħdin jappellaw lill-pubbliku biex joġġezzjona għall-iżvilupp mostruż ta’ “villaġġ” fuq Kemmuna. L-għaqdiet ambjentali qed iħeġġu lill-pubbliku biex jopponi l-pjanijiet tal-iżviluppaturi biex jinħoloq kumpless ta’ vilel fil-gżira ta’ Kemmuna bħala parti mill-pjanijiet proposti għall-lukanda l-ġdida mressqa minn Hili Group. L-oġġezzjonijiet għal din l-applikazzjoni għall-iżvilupp (PA/4777/20) jistgħu jintbagħtu lill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar sat-23 ta’ Jannar permezz ta’ din il-formola onlajn: https://pa.movimentgraffitti.org/permit/24

Skont il-pjanti, li bħalissa qed jiġu kkunsidrati mill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar, is-sit tal-eks “Comino Hotel” se jiġi żviluppat mill-ġdid, u d-disa’ bungalows mitluqa li bħalissa jinsabu fil-Bajja ta’ Santa Marija se jiġu sostitwiti b’kumpless ferm akbar ta’ 19-il villa komplut b’convenience store u kumditajiet oħra, f’dak li jista’ jsir “Comino Village” ta’ residenzi permanenti permezz tal-użu ta’ lakuni legali.

Kemmuna hija indikata bħala Żona ta’ Konservazzjoni Rurali, Riżerva Naturali, Żona Speċjali ta’ Konservazzjoni, Żona ta’ Protezzjoni Speċjali, Żona Importanti għall-Għasafar (IBA) ta’ Importanza Internazzjonali u tal-UE, sit Natura 2000, Santwarju tal-Għasafar, u “Dark Sky Heritage site”. L-iżvilupp propost mhu kompatibbli ma’ ebda waħda minn dawn id-denominazzjonijiet u ġie deskritt bħala “mostruż” u “okkupazzjoni bil-moħbi” ta’ din il-gżira li suppost għandha tiġi protetta biex tkun tista’ titgawda mir-residenti Maltin u Għawdxin kollha.

L-influss ta’ tagħmir tqil, materjali tal-kostruzzjoni u l-forza tax-xogħol se jikkawżaw impatt ambjentali kbir, kif ukoll il-qerda irriversibbli ta’ żoni ta’ ħabitat naturali fil-kumpless innifsu u disturbi fiż-żona ta’ madwaru. Hemm ukoll tħassib serju dwar iż-żieda fit-traffiku introdott fiż-żona, u l-immaniġġjar u t-trattament ta’ provvisti u skart li jwasslu għal żieda fil-pesti u l-iskart li huma ta’ ħsara diretta għall-ekosistema delikata lokali, li tinkludi popolazzjonijiet ta’ Garni (Yelkouan Shearwaters) vulnerabbli protetti fil-viċinanzi.

L-approvazzjoni tal-proġett mill-ERA bħalissa qed tiġi appellata mat-Tribunal tal-Ippjanar (EPRT) minn diversi organizzazzjonijiet.

Huwa xokkanti li żvilupp bħal dan qed jiġi kkunsidrat. Il-pubbliku għandu jieħu l-opportunità biex jesprimi l-frustrazzjoni tiegħu għal dan l-iżvilupp propost, u jfakkar lill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar li d-dmir tagħha mhuwiex li tħares lill-iżviluppaturi u n-negozji l-kbar, iżda l-ġid komuni “f’isem il-komunità biex jipprovdi ambjent bilanċjat u sostenibbli”, skont id-dikjarazzjoni tal-missjoni tagħha.

L-għaqdiet li qed jippreżentaw l-oġġezzjoni għall-PA/4777/20 huma BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust Malta – FEE, u Ramblers’ Association Malta.