Qala local council has agreed to a proposal by minority leader Karl Buttigieg to formally request the government to expropriate Ħondoq ir-Rummien bay so that it can be turned into a national park, the PN said on Monday.

A court earlier this month quashed final attempts by developers to get a permit for a major development that would have included a hotel, apartments, recreation venues and a yacht marina on the site in Gozo.

The PN said that through its approval of the proposal by the Nationalist councillor, the Labour controlled council had now agreed with a longstanding PN call for the site to be acquired by the government and transformed into a park.

Prime Minister Robert Abela and Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri had initially ridiculed the proposal, the party recalled.

The RO plant in the inner part of Ħondoq beach.

It observed that Abela, who visited Ħondoq last week, had spoken of the site being protected from development but had said nothing about the government taking it over to convert to a park. 

It pointed out that all of Ħondoq other than the sandy beach and the quay, are actually privately owned and only the area's transfer to the government could ensure that no new development application cropped up.

During his visit the prime minister had said that planning laws would be amended to ensure that Ħondoq ir-Rummien would not be developed.