Gozo ‘swimming pool hotel’ approved during election week

The construction of a private hotel over a swimming complex on government land was cleared by the Malta Tourism Authority in the week the last election was held, the Times of Malta has learnt.

The four-star hotel was given clearance by the MTA on May 29, just over a month after the application had been received. The general election was held on June 3.

The tourism compliance certificate issued by the MTA’s accommodation development committee was necessary for GNI Ltd to amend the original planning permits to develop the swimming complex.

The original plans, approved by the then Malta Environment and Planning Authority in 2008, were for a four-storey indoor swimming facility on public land adjacent to the Gozo sports complex in Victoria.

On the strength of the MTA clearance, the same land can now be turned into a seven-storey, fully fledged hotel, with 74 beds in 37 units and still incorporate the swimming pool complex, industry sources have said.

The Times of Malta reported that originally, the concession involved about 5,000 square metres of public land to be developed by the private sector into a swimming pool facility similar to the one at Tal-Qroqq. It also quoted Gozitan...