Catalan Bay Senior Committee condemns marina plans over environmental and health concerns

The Catalan Bay Senior Committee has condemned the East Side marina development.

It accuses the Government of breaking key promises and disregarding environmental and public health concerns.

The group claims assurances from the Chief Minister and Environment Minister, that no marina arm would be built in front of Catalan Bay and that an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would be carried out, have not been honoured. It says a nine-metre breakwater is now planned, which they warn will block beach views, trap pollution, and degrade water quality.

The group also alleges the Development and Planning Commission was misled by a marker boat placed in a location that understated the true extent of the proposed structure. Some DPC members, the Committee says, lacked the time or expertise to assess the full environmental impact of the project.

It points to a community-led subsoil survey which it claims has found shellfish colonies within the project area, contradicting previous information and raising concerns over the destruction of a protected marine ecosystem.

The Committee also raises serious public health concerns, alleging the presence of asbestos in the rubble mountain, which when crushed, could create seriously harmful dust near beaches and residential areas.

The group is calling for the project’s planning permission to be reconsidered, and for the Government to explore alternative developments that prioritise the community and the environment over private interests.