Following the Government’s land reclamation announcement, the GSD have issued a statement highlighting their doubts surrounding the development. 

A statement from the GSD follows below:

The GSD seriously doubts the deliverability of the most recent statements made by the Chief Minister over  the last 24 hours on the land reclamation and construction of affordable and public housing. 

Promises of delivery of housing by 2028 sticks in the gullet when one considers the shifting sands of electoral  promises regarding delivery dates for Chatham Views, Bob Peliza Mews and Hassan Centenary Terraces in the  past. 

All of this smacks of a further whetting of the appetite for many young people, particularly young people who  want to get on with their lives, who have been let down.  

When last November Mr Bossino asked where the reclamation was to be located and commenced, the Chief  Minister said that an announcement would be made ‘once the final designs and reclamation agreements have  been respectively concluded and signed’. What has progressed since then other than to repeat the same  message? He is still telling the more than patient Gibraltarian public that the final contractual arrangements  have not been completed.  

What faith can be placed on his words on this occasion?  

Also, what planning considerations have been factored in to deal with schooling and traffic needs and the  location of another mass of building and construction in an already built-up area? All of this as we continue  to wait patiently for the Development Plan which is now coming to 6 years out of date. 

The GSD Opposition cannot share in the euphoria which it appears only the Government is revelling in when  they have failed to complete the housing projects they promised election after election and deadlines have  been pushed back time and time again.  

Damon Bossino said: “People are tiring of announcements and promises which are then not delivered. Does  the Government not realise that many see through this? Playing with peoples’ emotions in this way is  lamentable and an indictment on the Government.”