GSD has ‘serious doubts’ project can be delivered by 2028

The GSD said it “seriously doubts the deliverability” of the many announcements made by the Chief Minister on the land reclamation and construction of affordable and public housing.

In a statement, the Opposition said the promise 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,” the party said.

The GSD said that when its MP, Damon 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”.

It asked what progress there had been other than a repetition of the same message, adding Mr Picardo was again telling the “more than patient Gibraltarian public” that the final contractual arrangements had not been completed.

“What faith can be placed on his words on this occasion?” the GSD asked.

The Opposition also asked what planning considerations had 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.

It noted too that a new Development Plan had still not been delivered even though the current one was now almost six years out of date.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,” said Mr Bossino.

“People are tiring of announcements and promises which are then not delivered.”

“Does the Government not realise that many see through this?”

“Playing with people’s emotions in this way is lamentable and an indictment on the Government.”