09th March 2002

EPA should chose site for golf course

Provided that it can be shown that Malta would benefit from a new golf course, the Environment and Planning Authority should choose the best site, Moviment Ghall-Ambjent, Friends of the Earth (Malta) said today.

The EPA should conduct a study to decide whether Malta’s long-term interests would be served by having another golf course and make the study available for public discussion.

So far, all those applying for golf courses have chosen sites that are unacceptable from the point of view of planning law. The Rabat sites are both on agricultural land and the Pembroke site includes areas of ecological importance. The EPA should chose the best site according to Malta’s needs and the business community should be asked to tender for that site.

According to Malta’s Structure Plan: Any golf courses should be located where: “It can be accommodated without adverse environmental impact or loss of good quality agricultural land…..Potentially suitable locations are those where positive environmental benefits can be achieved by utilising derelict land or land requiring major environmental improvements.”

The Planning Authority was meant to prepare a Subject Plan for golf but, unfortunately, this was never completed. Any study conducted should encompass sustainability as a criterion. Malta’s size and loss of virgin land over the past fifty years makes it imperative that a site that can be acceptable to all social partners is chosen.