Hi Dave

its one vote per day, or so, I voted at 9am (Gozo time), and just voted a second time, about 12 hours later, so please try again in the morning ! So far, 85% plus of votes are against the development - it can be stopped !!!

Should the government intervene to stop the proposed development at Ta' Cenc, in Gozo?
Yes 85.9%
It is up to Mepa 9.0%
No 5.1%

Total votes: 836

as a reminder of what "we" are fighting, - the two villas you can see in this photo - the developers want to build 50 odd more - then there are the 50 odd 3 story "bungalows", the 3 story new hotel etc etc. Its difficult to convey to those who haven't seen Ta Cenc, how beautiful it is - these photos give only a mere glimpse of a how it is, but they are the best I can do for now...



the "bungalows" would go on the left of this photo, right on the ridge of a valley

one of the best explanations of why Ta Cenc shouldn't be developed is on the hotel's very own website !

http://www.vjborg.com/tacenc/tacencarea.shtml
http://www.vjborg.com/tacenc/tacencarea_sacred.shtml
http://www.vjborg.com/tacenc/tacencarea_inhabitation.shtml
http://www.vjborg.com/tacenc/tacencarea_ecological.shtml

from their own words !

some good news - despite the best efforts of MEPA an the developers, there will be a new objection period for the Ta Cenc development, as per this article on the front page of The Times

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=235673

I'll let you all know when and where you can write, or hopefully email when it becomes available

thank you ! remember to try and vote later in the day - this poll will be very important in the arguements used at the public enquiry as to why it should be rejected

hi again mark....just voted yes now........regards........john-doe ..p.s and sent a comment............

Morning all
This may be a little late as it is getting to the end of the vote but.....if you open half a dozen or so windows all at The Times of Malta home page, you can vote on them all. not sure if they are all registered or not mind but well worth a try.

Roll on next Tuesday....i'll be there again

hi again mark... ..i am still voting yes ............regards.....john-doe .....every day up untill it ends.........

thank you everyone - the voting has now closed - about 83-84% of nearly 5,000 votes cast were for the government to intervene - should make an interesting headline in The Times when they report the results (tomorrow's paper ??)

if anyone is interested, I've prepared a letter to send to MEPA and the papers about Ta Cenc, finding alot of holes in the planning application - if anyone would like a copy please pm me

edit - perhaps I should just post it here ? - here goes

-------------------------------------------------------

Dear Sir/Madam

I would like to lodge my reasons why I believe the proposed development of Ta Cenc should be rejected.

1. The 57 villas at Kantra/Mgarr Ix-Xini - TOU10 of The Structural Plan states "development, in the vicinity of the existing Ta' Cenc hotel" - the planned villas are over 1km from the existing hotel, which on an island the size of Gozo is clearly not in the vicinity. The Gozo Local Plan (GZ-Snat-2)states "restrict the tourism related development on the eastern flank of the promontory", which presumably refers to the villas - what better way to restrict than to not allow !

2. The 49 bungalows at the edge of Ta Cenc. When I first examined the planning application, I couldn't work out where 49 bungalows were to be built, there were insufficient plots marked on the plans - reading further, I found that many of the "bungalows" were two or even three stories high, so they are not bungalows, but apartments ! Was the use of the word bungalow used to disguise their true height ? TOU10 states "The height of buildings will be restricted to one and two storeys ",and be "sufficiently away from the northern escarpment" - so the three story "bungalows" are disqualified by the first point, while all the true bungalows are sitting right on top of the northern escarpment - surely on top is not sufficiently away from

3. The new "Sannat Hotel" - the plans call for a three story hotel - again "TOU10 states "The height of buildings will be restricted to one and two storeys" Also GZ-Snat-2 states "ensure that the overall height of the development does not increase in the area closest to ... the coastal cliffs" The new hotel is planned to be closer to the cliffs than the existing hotel, so is clearly increasing the height in the area closest to the coastal cliffs.

4. The application calls for a closure of the area at night time - this runs directly contrary to GZ-Snat-2, which states

a."safeguard the area indicated on MAP 13.6 for free and unhindered coastal access;" - the area indicated is the coastal area

b. "protect a pedestrian path shown on MAP 14.11-E running parallel to the northern carriageway route which links the hotel to the Villa Area for free and unhindered public access;" - this refers to a path alongside the road running straight through Ta Cenc

5. TOU10 states "prohibit developments and/or activities that may negatively affect the colonies of breeding seabirds in the cliffs below Ta' Cenc. This includes both land-based and sea-based activities" - please note "may negatively affect" - not will, or even seriously will. Although the environmental report mentions ways of reducing the affect on the seabirds, I fail to see how the developer can possibly guarantee there will be no negative impact.

6. The heritage park within the application - TOU10 states "The area of Ta' Cenc, Gozo, from east of the Mgarr ix-Xini inlet to the village of Sannat, will be further studied as a potential demonstration project of high quality for Malta's first national park, (World Conservation Union (WCU)definition) covering the majority of the area". Importantly, TOU10 says national park,not heritage park. WCU states that the ownership and management of a national park should be by either government, a foundation or other legally established body which has dedicated the area to long-term conservation. For TOU10 to be fulfilled, therefore, the ownership of the park should not be in the hands of the developer, but in public hands.

So much for rejecting the application on its failures to fulfil planning regulations. None of this takes into account the beauty of what exists for now at Ta Cenc. Quoting directly from Ta Cenc Hotel's very own website

"It is not the presence of a recognizable shrine or direct religious association that lends Ta' Cenc its air of sanctity; it depends rather upon the confluence of set of conditions that have the effect of lifting the human mind and spirit"

"the archaeological value of the site is amplified by its extraordinary unspoiled context."

and maybe best of all, "The Ta' Cenc property contains one of the most extensive underdeveloped and relatively unspoiled area in the Maltese islands." - lets leave it that way

Excellent letter! I think you should send it to the newspapers without a doubt, as well as MEPA.

I wonder if there are any international publications that could become involved, particularly tourism/UK based ones? Perhaps the World Tourism Organisation? Yes they really do exist
Susan

hi mark...first class ... ...well done.....regards..............john-doe..

our first victory ! the villas will not be allowed to be built

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=236369

now for the rest

best of all, the reasons given (that it fails to meet the Structural Plan), can also be used to stop most, if not all, of the remainder !

The villas were going to be the cash cow to fund the rest, so it might even scupper the rest anyway

my latest letter to the press in Malta

Congratulations are due to Minister Pullicino for doing the right thing, and banning the construction of 57 villas in the area of Ta Cenc overlooking Mgarr ix-Xini. Quite rightly, the Minister realised that the application to build the villas ran contrary to The Structural Plan (1992) as well as the Gozo and Comino Local Plan (2002). Can the Minister now continue to do the right thing, and halt all other aspects of the proposed development that are equally contrary to the two plans, namely
1) the new hotel - at three stories, its too high - only two are allowed
2) the bungalows overlooking Xewkija - they are too close to the ridge
3) the so called "heritage park" - the Structural Plan doesn't call for a heritage park, it calls for a national park - a park in private developers hands can never be a national park

Go on Minister, go down in history. Its time to do the right thing.

Nice one Mark. they will name something after you yet mate
well done. Keep it up.
fallan

Yes Mark well done keep up the good work, your Island needs you.
Dave

hi mark...smashing news very well done "you are a star"...........greatest regards to you...john-doe.....

thanks to all who have posted - I'll keep you up to date with the news.

Well done Mark. So far so good.

my (second) letter is in The Times today

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=236674

as well as an article on the reaction of various environmental NGOs

http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=236700

love the last line - "Attempts to contact Mr Borg were unsuccessful." It was a brave person who tried to call him straight after this news !

hi mark....thank you for the up-date.......regards again .....john-doe.........