Ramblers raise alarm over Baħrija gate and rubble wall

A company whose ownership has yet to be established is requesting planning sanctioning of an illegal gate it erected to block access to Balta tal-Melħ, in Baħrija.

The company, Touchstone Ltd, also wants to build a 95m-long, 1.2m high rubble wall around land the company says it owns in the picturesque and archeologically sensitive ix-Xagħra tal-Vikarju in Baħrija.

The rubble wall will effectively turn the open and scenic walkway into a corridor.

It is so far unclear as to whether this is the same Touchstone Properties Limited that is owned by the Baħrija landowners Eliza Limited, which had acquired the land claimed by the feudal title of the Barony of Baħria. Back in 2005, the company had attempted to evict farmers after buying a 1,500-tumolo parcel from Salvatore Consoli-Palermo-Navarra, whose heirs sold the land for some €2.5 million. Touchstone Properties is owned by Carmel Baldacchino, Emannuel Baldacchino, Joseph Baldacchino, Anthony Cuschieri, George Cuschieri, Geranzio Cuschieri, Generoso Sammut, Noman Zammit and Anthony Galea.

The company’s latest accounts lists its asstes as proeprty for resale, namely 1,113 tumoli of land in Baħrija. The land is valued at €2.73 million. In June 2019, the company entered into an agreement with its banks to settle a €1.25 million loan repayment.

The Ramblers Association is objecting to the application. RA’s president Ingram Bondin wrote to the Planning Authority noting that Touchstone limited is not listed on the public registry. “The company name should either be corrected on the public application form or the application should not be processed.”

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has already expressed concern on this application, noting that the site in question is located in a pristine cultural landscape in an area is of considerable archaeological sensitivity with numerous examples of cart ruts recorded in the surrounding landscape. The Baħrija Bronze Age Settlement is located just over 100m to the north.

The Superintendence is objecting to the proposed rubble wall, noting the relatively open, scenic nature of the area would be disrupted by the introduction of rubble walls. The Superintendence further noted that the PA’s 2016 aerial images indicate the presence of a structure not present on 1968 survey and for which no development permit could be traced.