Outrageous permit in Ġgantija buffer zone revoked

The Planning Authority has revoked a planning permit issued in November 2023 for an apartment block consisting of 22 apartments and 20 basement garages in the buffer zone for the Ġgantija temples, 157 meters away from the temples.

But the controversial application will be processed again following the presentation of a heritage impact assessment which had been requested by UNESCO in February 2023, months before the original permit was issued.  

In November only NGO representative Romano Cassar had voted against the development due to the proximity of the development to Ġgantija, the absence of a heritage assessment and the impact on the landscape.

In today’s meeting Cassar  insisted that the application should be revoked completely and not sent back to the earlier stages preceding the case officer report and the heritage assessment.   

But the other board members disagreed insisting that the application should still be reconsidered on the basis of the Heritage Impact Assessment.

In February 2023, Cultural Heritage Superintendent Kurt Farrugia, had already informed the Planning Authority that UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre had requested a Heritage Impact Assessment which was never carried out.  

The permit was issued on the premise that although located in an  area of archaeological importance it was outside the formal buffer zone for the temples.

After the permit was issued a request invoke Article 80 of the Development Planning Act to revoke the permit was made by both the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and a coalition of NGOs.

A photomontage of the proposed block of apartments

Lawyer Ian Stafrace representing applicant Emmanuel Farrugia  conceded that the site falls in the buffer zone. 

“We concede that there was a mistake resulting on the information available at that time regarding the boundaries of the buffer zone…and the application should be reconsidered again on the basis of the designation and after a Heritage Impact Assessment”.”

During the meeting PA chairman Emanuel Camilleri insisted that the board decision was based on the designation of the site in 2010 as an area of archaeological importance.  He also insisted that the board was not aware of the decision by UNESCO in 2015 to designate the site as a buffer zone for the Ġgantija temples. Neither was this designation published in the government gazette.