The Daily Star- Residents of the northern city of Tripoli are opposing a new building project on the city’s public waterfront, saying it would rob locals of access to the free coastal strip.
The project, as presented by one of its financiers, Youssef Fattal, seeks to reclaim land near the Olympic Stadium at Tripoli’s southern entrance.
If licenses are approved, two 80-meter high towers, a beach resort, a hotel and shops would be constructed in addition to a marina for yachts by the waterfront, which spans the city of Tripoli and its immediate neighbor, the city of Mina.
It would reclaim some 50,000 square meters of land.
Discussions over whether the licenses should be approved are due to be held by the Tripoli Municipal Council today.
The proposed project has been the subject of much debate among civil society activists, who say that while the municipal council is able to issue permits, it lacks the power to approve such large-scale projects.
Environmental activists believe the project would ruin the public waterfront, known as the Corniche in Mina, which offers much-needed free recreation space for the area’s impoverished residents.
The activists have organized a protest to take place in front of the municipality building Thursday at the same time as the council meeting.
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