News | Sunday, 24 May 2009

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Ghajn Tuffieha’s ‘Riviera’ eyed for development

Developers have applied to demolish the derelict the former Riviera Martinique hotel in Ghajn Tuffieha, and replace it with a two-storey restaurant and multi-purpose hall.
But a pending court case lodged by the government to reclaim the land means the site’s future is in the balance.
Filed back in August 2008 against Kevin Fenech of NMF Ltd – the owners of the site – the Lands Department is citing a condition in the contract which states that should the hotel be closed to the public for a year, the government would have the option of taking it back.
“The Prime Minister wants the land to be restored to the public in its original natural state so that the beach is enjoyed by the public. He asked me to intervene in this case and we have instituted legal proceedings to terminate the lease,”
Parliamentary Secretary Jason
Azzopardi told MaltaToday last year.
According to the government architect’s report submitted in court, the terrain on site is extremely unstable, to the extent that parts of later additions to the hotel have collapsed and others are in imminent danger of falling. The building’s interior floors have also collapsed while the façade is without any internal support.
“The present situation presents an extremely unsightly backdrop to this picturesque area as this area is extremely popular with tourists,” the architect’s report states. “In addition, there is a big danger to the general public, since the existing buildings and structure are on the verge of collapse.”
In 1994, the planning authority had refused an application to construct a 25-room hotel on the same site. The application to convert the derelict hotel into a restaurant and hall was first presented in 2004 but the application was still pending before the developers applied again three weeks ago.

State vs the Riviera
www.maltatoday.com.mt/2008/08/03/t5.html

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