Planning Authority orders reassessment of Marsaxlokk tower relocation

The Planning Authority’s planning commission has decided that an application to demolish a historical watchtower in Marsaxlokk, to make way for a new road on land added to development zones in 2006, should be republished again and vetted from the very initial stages.

In a clear rebuke of the case officer recommending approval of the application, PA board chairman Martin Camilleri expressed his bafflement at the fact that the board was being asked to approve the relocation of the watchtower to another location outside development zones, in the absence of any assessment of its impact on the new site on the valley bed.

The application to dismantle the tower was originally presented by the Tourism Ministry in 2020. Following strong objections by the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage to the proposed dismantlement of the tower, the central government took the back seat with the Marsaxlokk council taking the helm in fronting the application.

The council’s application foresees the “dismantling of existing tower structure and its proposed re-assembly at a new location in lieu of planned road construction to connect existing roadways at Triq Lepanto and Triq il- Kavallerizza.”

The case officer had recommended approval of the dismantling of the tower on condition that a new application identifying the new site is presented in six months. This would have meant that the tower could be dismantled before the alternative site in the ODZ was even assessed let alone approved.

The case was already brought in front of another PA board responsible for development within development zones last month. But board chairman Stephania Baldacchino decided to pass the buck to the board responsible for ODZ applications, chaired by Camilleri, in view of the fact that the tower would be relocated to an ODZ site.

Baldacchino had similarly expressed her puzzlement at being asked to approve the dismantlement of a tower with no clear idea of where this is going to be relocated.

Initially Martin Camilleri hinted that a completely new application should be presented, after describing the late presentation of a plan indicating an alternative site for the tower as “a material change” which merited a completely new application.

But lawyer Ian Stafrace, who was representing the local council, insisted that the council had been misled by PA officials who first indicated that the application should be limited to the dismantlement of the tower, and then asked for an indication of the new location of the tower.

In the meeting, archeologist Reuben Grima expressed his dismay at both the case officer report and the local council.

“The Superintendence is clearly objecting to the dismantlement of the tower insisting that it should remain where it is now. How can a case officer blatantly ignore such an objection?” asked Grima.

Grima also expressed his disappointment about the role of the local council. “One expects local councils to be a shield against development threatening the cultural heritage. Instead, we have a council which is presenting an application to dismantle a part of our heritage.”

Environmentalist Analise Falzon and architect Tara Cassar insisted on the rerouting of the proposed road as suggested in alternative plans submitted by Din l-Art Helwa. Environmentalists fear that the new road would pave the way for development in this pristine area of M’Xlokk added to development zones in 2006.

Falzon also questioned the insistence on implementing a plan for a road dating back to 1995.

“Are we going to impose a mistake committed nearly 30 years ago on future generations?” she asked.

Stafrace rebutted that the council had no say on the routing of the new road and any change from the schemed location can only be done through a zoning application presented by the landowners or the Planning Authority itself.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has recommended Grade 2 scheduling for the tower structure which originally served as a rural watchtower before being turned in to a pigeon loft and has repeatedly asked for a rerouting of the proposed road. The Environment and Resources Authority also objected to the relocation of the structure in the ODZ.