Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/691413
JAMES DEBONO PLANS for the redevelopment of an abandoned hotel at Delimara's Kalanka it-Tawwalija foresee the creation of a controversial 'link' to the bay through the new hotel: excavating a tunnel in the rock, down towards the secluded cove. A project development state- ment presented by the developers acknowledges that since the devel- opment is located on globigerina limestone, the excavation of a tun- nel to the beach raises "issues with regard to stability and changes to geomorphology" which will re- quire further investigation and as- sessment. The proposed construction of a hotel at il-Kalanka will involve the excavation of approximately 2,708 cubic metres of rock. "There has to be careful con- sideration of the impacts of the tunnel to the bay both in terms of geology and geomorphology and the wider social impacts," the PDS states. One of the social impacts of the project is that it could erode "the feeling of remoteness that the site currently offers is an important consideration when assessing the potential impacts of the scheme". The proposed development in- cludes provision of public ancil- lary facilities, resulting in poten- tial benefits for beach users. The application seeks the rede- velopment of the former 'Delimara Bay Hotel' into an "ecological bou- tique hotel" of 13 luxury suites, three 'superior deluxe', and one 'presidential' suite. Proposed amenities will in- clude a lounge, bar and restau- rant, gym, spa and outdoor pool but also public beach facilities at il-Kalanka t-Tawwalija, including public toilets and showers, a first aid room, storage room and waste separation facilities. A screening report by the Envi- ronment and Resources Authority said the hotel will have a signifi- cant visual impact and will change the character of a Delimara cove where it will be located "because the extent of the development will be larger than the structures already found on site in terms of height and area taken up by ancil- lary developments, including for food and beverage and outdoor pool and decking area." The Delimara Bay Hotel was built in the 1950s, and later, due to demand, another wing and an additional storey were built. Even- tually, the hotel was converted into a bar and restaurant, which remained open until 1985. The building has since been in a state of disuse and is currently in disre- pair. Kenneth Abela, the sole share- holder of Delimara Bay Hotel Ltd, filed the application last year. The company was registered under another name in May 2013 and had its name changed in February 2015. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 JUNE 2016 News Hotelier wants tunnel for Kalanka beach link New chief of public health MIRIAM DALLI CHARMAINE Gauci, the outgoing head of the disease prevention unit, is the designate Superintendent of Pub- lic Health, the health ministry con- firmed. Gauci, health promotion and disease prevention director since 2007, has also served as the head of the Disease Surveillance Unit for 10 years. Her areas of specialisation included epide- miology, public health, communicable diseases, nutrition and health promo- tion. Gauci will be succeeded by Dr Paula Vassallo, a dental surgeon with a post- graduate diploma in public health. Vassallo's appointment has been op- posed to by the Medical Association of Malta and the Malta Association of Public Health Medicine, who claimed Gauci's successor was not the "medical specialist" required for the job. The health ministry has begged to differ. "Dr Paula Vassallo BChD MSC DDPH RCS MBA FFPH is amply qualified for the post. She is a qualified and registered dental surgeon with a postgraduate diploma in public health from the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of the U.K. as well as a Masters degree in Dental Public Health from the Univer- sity of London." Vassallo is a fellow of the Royal Col- lege of Physicians' faculty of public health and has an MBA, as well as the chair of the European Platform for Better Oral Health. She has been a lec- turer at the University of Malta since 2002. The ministry said the advertised post of director did not specify the need for applicants to be medical doctors. "This was also the case in 2013 when requirements were for a first degree in a healthcare related profession. This post was filled after a competitive se- lection process," the ministry said.