Anti-Hondoq front evaporates

Abstract

The premature unveiling of proposals by the Milan office of Chapman Taylor for the redevelopment of the unsightly quarry at Tas-Simar along the south-eastern coast of Gozo opened a veritable can of worms and has concurrently revealed the fickleness of some past environmental campaigns. It is significant that the Tas-Simar site lies a mere 1.5 kilometres away from Ħondoq ir-Rummien and lies in the same locality of Qala, so one would expect that the same issues which rightly raised the bristles of Qala local council and members of the environmentalist community would also apply to the Tas-Simar site. In fact, the uncanny similarity between the two sites does not stop with their close proximity. It also includes shared features such as a quarried site and a proposed yacht marina and luxury apartments/villas and a hotel. The Tas-Simar site also includes a cruise liner harbour to boot.