Press Release 6th July 2014

Natural coastal areas should be left untouched and not be handed over to developers for speculation says ENGO Din l-Art Helwa.

The coastal area adjoining the Pembroke Natura 2000 site should be protected from development, and Din l-Art Helwa calls on the government to show and defend its green credentials.

Din l-Art Helwa calls on the Minister for the Environment, Leo Brincat and the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning, Michael Falzon, to ensure that the coastal garigue and agricultural areas at White Rocks in Bahar ic-Caghaq are not covered in concrete by developers. Natural undeveloped spaces should also not be replaced by artificial landscaping.

Din l-Art Helwa requests the Minister for the Environment to initiate a study the ecology of the coastal area at White Rocks,for its possible inclusion as an extension of the Pembroke Natura 2000 site.

Instead of safeguarding this area, this government has announced plans to significantly increase the size of the original White Rocks complex footprint and is offering it up to speculators and developers, including untouched coastal spaces.

Rather than improving the existing dilapidated complex with a project that is sensitive to the existing architecture and landscape of the site, the government seems intent on pouring concrete on every available inch. This may satisfy the developers in the short term, but will be of no gain to Malta in the long term as Malta’s coastal and rural areas are being eroded by over-development, completely destroying the beauty of the Maltese natural landscape.