Got this weeks Economist and started browsing through it as I always do… starting from the back (Science and Obit). As I did so my eyes fell on an ad taken out in the Tenders section. The word MALTA stood out loud and clear and the title of the ad was “INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY – PROPERTY IN MALTA”.
The ad informed interested readers that “Air Malta plc is in the process of consolidating its operations by hiving off its activities in subsidiary companies in order to focus on core airline operations.” Which is a load of economic cock-and-bull jargon to say that AirMalta is to stop dabbling in other areas than flights and needs to sell off excess baggage.
The ad goes on to say that AirMalta is therefore trying to sell off its shareholding in Hal-Ferh Company Limited, along with a prime site in the Northern part of Malta (part of which was formerly Hal Ferh Holiday Complex): A description of what is for sale follows and includes land and structures in the picturesque area of Golden Bay limits of Mellieha.
What I really loved was the following statement:
This property is located in close proximity to two sandy beaches as well as an area designated as a Nature and History Park, thus offering significant potential for tourism related development.
Don’t you just love the quantum leap in reasoning? “Two sandy beaches” makes it sound like “two of the hundreds of beaches” that pepper the Maltese islands and not two of the four or five “real” beaches we are lucky enough to still have. Then comes that lovely bit of logic – “the land is close to an area designated as a Nature and History Park thus offering significant potential for tourism related development.”
Another National NIMBY in the making? It’s not AirMalta’s business of course, it is just selling off its assets (in its own right and through the Government of Malta). I wonder how the Development Brief will work out. More about the Development Brief here on gozonews. Here is an article from Di-ve sometime in September 2008:
The Island Hotels Group is interested in Hal Ferh, the Development Brief for which was released on Thursday by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
Director Winston Zahra, in feedback sent to MEPA during the public consultation phase, said that based on the example of the Radisson SAS Golden Sands Resort & Spa, his company could ensure that the project was environmentally sound and sustainable.
He sees Hal–Ferh as a natural extension of the existing resort, making use of economies of scale resulting in less development as facilities would be shared. The accommodation would be low-lying condominium style units with landscaping which safeguards the historical structures.
“The whole area in conjunction with the Majjistral History and Nature Park could be developed into a superb tourism destination if treated holistically and driven by the same developer,” he said.
The North West Local Plan identifies the site as part of a larger 120 hectare site earmarked for a golf course, the Development Brief said. The Development Brief said that MEPA would favour a high quality, family-oriented tourism development on the 84,900 square metre site. It also noted that acceptable secondary uses would be a small component of specialist, small, retail outlets, food and drink facilities (restaurant and cafeteria), and sports facilities among other things.
However, it noted that the facilities should be aimed primarily at residents of the tourism development and should not attract large numbers of visitors from outside the complex. The site includes the former Hal Ferh holiday complex, which has been languishing for years, as well as post-1939 barracks and a church/cinema dating to 1916.
The former military buildings are currently not scheduled but they are deemed to have historical merit and their retention and rehabilitation was therefore strongly encouraged. MEPA would like to see the proportion occupied by buildings increase from its current 17 per cent level to no more than 20 per cent, with 48 per cent left as open space and 32 per cent as soft landscaping. The buildings will be split into one-storey and two-storey clusters.
In all, the Development Brief envisages a total of 25,000 square metres of developable floor space. A traffic impact statement will be required and the eventual developer would have to upgrade some of the junctions on access roads. MEPA said that there would be various stages in the development. The government would first select a preferred developed through a competitive tendering process. Once all the requirements are met, MEPA will then issue an outline planning permit and eventually a full development permit.
The developer will be required to undertake a legal obligation to retain the tourism complex nature of the project would. “No part of the property should be sold or otherwise transferred to third parties. Accommodation facilities on this site shall not be used as buildings of normal residence,” the brief said.
