Plans to create a complex of villas disfiguring Santa Marija Bay on the island of Comino as part of the proposed Comino Hotel redevelopment have received strong opposition from the public after a call to action from environmental groups.

The Planning Authority is still processing over 13 500 individual objections received from concerned citizens, mostly submitted through a custom online form, a record number of objections submitted for a project proposal within a single representation period. This level of public anger makes it difficult to see how the PA could possibly approve this destructive scheme being proposed by Hili Group.

Despite claims by the developers that the proposed plans would take up less land overall, the developers’ own figures show how the footprint is significantly larger for the “village” in Santa Marija Bay. The project would destroy intact garigue to push the facility farther from the coast and erect buildings further into the bay in the place of abandoned sports courts. The visual impact is evident from the renders, also produced by the developers themselves. In addition, it takes very little imagination to foresee the greater congestion and disturbance expected, both on land and at sea, if the bay is effectively transformed into a high-end holiday resort, complete with pontoon.

If the PA grants permission for this project, it would come at the detriment of a public seeking a peaceful escape – a necessity under serious threat on the Maltese Islands – and the health of our natural environment. Comino is a Rural Conservation Area, a Nature Reserve, a Bird Sanctuary, a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area in the Natura 2000 network, an Important Bird Area of International and EU Importance, and a Dark Sky Heritage site, home to many nationally and internationally protected habitats and species.

Five organisations are currently appealing ERA’s approval of the Comino Hotel proposal. The organisations – BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Friends of the Earth Malta, Moviment Graffitti, and Nature Trust – FEE Malta – are slamming the superficial assessment of the private project on a prized nature reserve in favour of the commercial interests of a few catering for the wealthy. Ramblers Malta and Flimkien għal ambjent Aħjar are also vociferously opposing this proposed project.

Backed by the resounding public outrage, we appeal to Hili Ventures to withdraw all plans for Santa Marija Bay, and to abandon the idea of sale of any part of the complex to third parties. Ultimately, the most sustainable construction for the island of Comino is no construction at all.

Pjanijiet biex jinħoloq kumpless ta’ vilel li jisfigura l-bajja ta’ Santa Marija fil-gżira ta’ Kemmuna, bħala parti mill-proposta sabiex jiġi żviluppat mill-ġdid il-‘Comino Hotel’, irċevew oppożizzjoni qawwija mill-pubbliku wara sejħa għall-azzjoni minn gruppi ambjentali.

L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar għadha qed tipproċessa aktar minn 13 500 oġġezzjoni individwali li rċeviet minn ċittadini mħassba, il-maġġorparti sottomessi minn formola online. Dan huwa numru rekord ta’ oġġezzjonijiet sottomessi għal proġett propost matul perjodu wieħed ta’ rappreżentazzjoni. Dal-livell ta’ rabja pubblika jagħmilha diffiċli li wieħed jifhem kif il-PA tista’ possibbilment tapprova din l-iskema distruttiva li qed tiġi proposta minn Hili Group.

Minkejja l-istqarrijiet mill-iżviluppaturi li l-pjanijiet proposti se jieħdu inqas art mill-kumpless attwali, l-informazzjoni mogħtija tal-iżviluppaturi stress turi kif il-‘footprint’ hija sostanzjalment ikbar għall-“villaġġ” fil-Bajja ta’ Santa Marija. Il-proġett se jeqred xagħri mhux mittiefes sabiex jimbotta l-faċilità aktar ’il bogħod mill-kosta u jiġu mtellgħin binjiet iktar ’il ġewwa fil-bajja minflok l-ispazji sportivi abbandunati. L-impatt viżwali huwa evidenti mill-istampi rappreżentattivi (‘renderings’), li wkoll ġew magħmulin mill-iżviluppaturi stess. Apparti minn hekk, ma tantx tirrikjedi immaġinazzjoni biex wieħed ibassar l-konġestjoni u d-disturb enormi li huma mistennija — kemm fuq l-art, kif ukoll fil-baħar — jekk il-bajja effettivament tiġi mibdula ġo kumpless tal-vaganzi għas-sinjuri komplut b’pontun.

Jekk il-PA tagħti permess għal dan il-proġett, dan ikun ta’ detriment għall-pubbliku li jfittex ħarba fil-paċi – li hija neċessità taħt theddida serja fil-gżejjer Maltin – u għas-saħħa tal-ambjent naturali tagħna. Kemmuna hija Żona ta’ Konservazzjoni Rurali, Riżerva Naturali, Santwarju tal-Għasafar, Żona Speċjali ta’ Konservazzjoni u Żona ta’ Protezzjoni Speċjali tan-network Natura 2000, Żona Importanti għall-Għasafar (IBA) ta’ importanza internazzjonali u tal-UE, u “Dark Sky Heritage site”, li fiha ħafna ħabitati u speċi protetti fuq livelli nazzjonali u internazzjonali.

Bħalissa, ħames għaqdiet qegħdin jappellaw l-approvazzjoni tal-ERA tal-proposta għall-‘Comino Hotel’. L-għaqdiet – BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Friends of the Earth Malta, Moviment Graffitti, u Nature Trust – FEE Malta — qed jattakkaw bis-saħħa l-valutazzjoni superfiċjali ta’ dal-proġett privat fuq riżerva naturali prezzjuża, li jiffavorixxi l-interessi kummerċjali tal-ftit u l-ħarsien tal-interessi tas-sinjuri. Ramblers Malta u Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar qegħdin jopponu dal-proġett propost b’mod voċiferu wkoll.

B’appoġġ ċar u b’saħħtu tal-pubbliku, nappellaw lil Hili Ventures sabiex jirtiraw il-pjanijiet kollha għall-Bajja ta’ Santa Marija u jabbandunaw kull idea ta’ bejgħ ta’ kwalunkwe parti mill-kompless propost lil entitajiet terzi. L-iżjed kostruzzjoni sostenibbli għall-gżira ta’ Kemmuna hija l-ebda kostruzzjoni affattu.