Local
Protest to revoke Ramla development permit
By MaltaMedia News
Jun 25, 2007 - 7:57:43 PM

Various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) staged a national protest to revoke a Ramla l-Ħamra permit to build 23 villas on the hillside overlooking the Gozitan beach.  The protest started at 1830CEST from in front of Valletta’s City Gate.

In the protest the NGOs called for the safeguarding of Gozo’s environment, expressing concerns about other developments planned for the areas of Ta’Ċenċ and Ħondoq ir-Rummien. Speaking during the protest Ramblers’ Association of Malta President Lino Bugeja said Monday’s protest is just the beginning of a campaign aimed at saving the islands’ environment.

The protest was being organised by the Xagħra Local Council, BirdLife Malta, Nature Trust, Ramblers' Association, Friends of the Earth, the Gaia Foundation, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and the Biological Conservation Research Foundation.

Last week, the government turned down a request set forward through media reports for an inquiry into the permit issued, allowing the development to go ahead.

The Government said that the reports overlook the fact that the principle of redevelopment of the site where the 1970s Ulysses Lodge stands was not decided by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority as far back as July 2005, when the outline application was approved.   

The government furthermore noted that the decision not to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was taken at this very stage.