Business lobby issues strong warning against Gozo overdevelopment

The Gozitan business lobby has come out voicing its concerns on the unsustainable development it says is ruining village cores and the urban fabric of Gozo.

The Gozo Business Chamber is supporting the call made by Gozitan mayors and the Gozo Regional Council for the Planning Authority to take effective action.

It said that the development taking place “does not take into consideration the needs and concerns of local communities”.

It described large development projects in villages and other localities as “unsustainable”.

Large projects, some nearing completion and others still in the works, are envisaged for Qala, Nadur, Xewkija and Xlendi, among others.

“This type of development does not take into consideration the impact this is having on the urban fabric of our villages and towns, and the impact on local communities,” it said in a statement released on Thursday.

“While the Gozo Business Chamber does support development, this should be sustainable, in line with what can be accommodated within our localities, and which respects the urban texture and traditional character of our villages and towns.”

While acknowledging the importance of the construction industry for the Gozitan economy, the GBC believes that through a sustainable model of development new economic niches can be created for this industry, such as in the renovation of old buildings to make them more sustainable.

It stated that it has already made a number of proposals to the Government in this regards, concluding that, “It is important that our heritage is respected and that adverse impacts on our communities are avoided."