Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1480753
10 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 OCTOBER 2022 NEWS Anglers object to Kalkara marina ERA wants more studies on 14-storey Xlendi hotel JAMES DEBONO ANGLERS represented by the Kingfisher Sports Fishing Asso- ciation are objecting to the pro- posed 334-boat at Kalkara Creek, fearing the loss of one of the few sheltered ports along the Grand Harbour for "catch and release" sports. In this sport, fish are captured without even being removed from the water and then un- hooked and released after a quick measurement and weighing of the fish, and photographed. "We are not against the re-or- ganisation of berthing spaces but we are disappointed by the lack of consultation," the KSFA's spokesperson Andre Borg told MaltaToday. Borg said sheltered areas are ideal for 'catch and release' fish- ing but are becoming rarer, espe- cially around the Grand Harbour, one of the best locations for this sport. "While in the past large stretches of the Harbour were available for anglers, space is in- creasingly being taken up by piers and other infrastructure". Borg said his organisation was not against economic growth but wants its voice heard when har- bour infrastructure is planned. While concerned about the take- up of the port, the KSFA wants to establish points in the marina where anglers can practice their hobby. "From what we have seen the plans do not take us into con- sideration," Borg said. Kalkara is popular among el- derly people from the locality who practice angling for recre- ation. The club has hosted club competitions and tournaments in the creek. Graffitti, which last year led a successful campaign against a marina in Marsaskala, is also objecting, saying the in- creased berths in this marina will "take over the entire creek", cre- ate more pollution, and reduce public access the coast. "This is unacceptable. In a country where the population is alarmed at the rapidly diminishing public and open spaces, the last thing Mal- ta needs is further hogging of its coast and sea." Graffitti also stressed that no public consultation was carried out, on residential concerns, and how strong winds and rough seas could make it unsafe for boats to enter the creek. With increased congestion, residents and boat owners could find it more difficult to park in the town, Graffitti said. "Current plans are not realistic since they do take into account access to the moored boats. This will create a problem for boat owners to ac- cess their boats." 2021 plans show 90 berths for boats under 6m in length, 80 for 6-8m boats, and 161 for 8-10m boats with a maximum width of 7m. Transport Malta claims the current bay's haphazard mooring of boats "pays little tribute to the splendour of the fortifications". Far from a simple reorganisa- tions, TM's project statement says it will 'enhance' the area with 334 mooring bays over 35,000 square metres along Triq Sally Port and Triq ix-Xatt. An existing marina with 173 berths already covers an area of 21,000sq.m in front of a boatyard below Villa Bighi. The Superintendence for Cul- tural Heritage has however dropped its earlier objections about the intensity and formal layout of the mooring bays. Two years ago the SCH called for "a more organic layout to minimise the impact on views within this area of high scenic value." But in its latest submission, the SCH welcomed the latest de- signs for a "corridor along the shoreline" free of moorings and clutter, as well as a central corri- dor between the moorings. "This does not only permit a better and cleaner definition of the area, but it softens the aspects of massing in the proposed mooring bays," the SCH said. The plans are for two packets of bays, an inner arrangement on Marina Street near the Kalkara Inlet with 12 mooring lines for 170 berths; the second located further out for 162 berths along 18 lines. Objectors to the project include boat owners who still cannot un- derstand how they will be access- ing their boats considering the increased number of boats in the bay. Some believe the only feasi- ble option would be to introduce pontoons at a later stage, which would spell the end of the bay as people know it. Transport Malta has not replied to questions sent be MaltaToday on the number of boats which are currently licensed to park in the Kalkara creek. MaltaToday also asked TM to explain how boat owners will be accessing their boats if the project is approved. In October 2019, former In- frastructure Minister Ian Borg insisted that the application was limited to a reorganisation of existing berths, assuring Kalkara residents that the Kalkara marina "will not be growing by even one centimetre." JAMES DEBONO THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority has called for an as- sessment of the impact of a pro- posed 14-storey hotel in Xlendi on the nearby Natura 2000 sites, and more information on its ge- ological impact, before issuing a final recommendation. Although located in the devel- opment zone, the proposed hotel lies in close proximity of two Nat- ura 2000 sites, namely a marine protection area, and a terrestrial protected area, which includes the Kantra valley and the Xlendi countryside. The ERA is saying that while it has no objection to the construc- tion of a hotel on the site since this is well within the develop- ment zone, but it has expressed concern at "the extent and scale of the proposed development" calling for more studies to deter- mine the impact on the nearby protected areas. The authority also wants more information on what it described as "important geological features" found on the site. Since excavations will take place, it also called for informa- tion with regards to the quantity and quality of the material that will be excavated and how it will be re-used. ERA has also called for photo- montages of the proposed devel- opment from both short and me- dium distance viewpoints. The Planning Authority has al- ready approved the demolition of the building, in an applica- tion approved in January 2021. But the PA also said this did not entail any commitment for the replacement building and exca- vations on the site still have to be approved. The latest application is for a 4-star hotel with 88 rooms, to be- come the highest building over- looking the Xlendi coastline, with four underground floors for a car park, gym and indoor pool, and 14 storeys above street level with a roof pool. In 2021 the Munxar local coun- cil – as well as eNGOs Flimkien Ghall Ambjent Ahjar and Movi- ment Graffitti – had objected to the splitting of the application in two phases. The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) had also called for the holistic assessment of both phase 1 and phase 2 of the project. Residents had also expressed concern that works in the ar- ea would endanger their homes built in the 1980s. The PA's planning commission chairman Claude Mallia insisted that the approval of the demoli- tion did not entail a commitment on the future of the site and said he understood the concern about the possible development, en- couraging further discussion on the matter. Excel is also proposing building another complex of 60 apart- ments nearby in a separate plan- ning application that is pending appeal. Moviment Graffitti objects to monstrosity In a strongly-worded objection Moviment Graffitti has described the massive 14-storey as a mon- strosity which will greatly inten- sify urbanisation of the area. The NGO said the development is in breach of the Gozo local plan which calls for "contained devel- opment" which does not com- promise Xlendi's unique setting. According to Graffitti the in- crease in height from four to 14 storeys entirely negates the visual containment afforded by the ter- rain. Graffitti also expressed con- cern on the geological impact of the application particularly and its impact on the surrounding Natura 2000 sites, and that the Kantra valley will be completely "engulfed and dominated by the 14-storey development".