Flimkien ghal-Ambjent Ahjar outraged at ongoing heritage abuse

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) is "outraged" at what it said was the latest destruction of Malta's heritage carried out by a developer at the Palazz ta' Rohan, in Main Street, Balzan, where a development application that was hotly contested by Balzan residents and Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar was refused by the MEPA board.

FAA had reported to MEPA that trees were being uprooted and soil was being removed from the 300-year-old palace garden. However MEPA officials reported back saying that all the works were approved and being carried out under MEPA's supervision.

"FAA and Balzan residents are taken aback to learn that wanton destruction had in fact taken place inside this garden resulting in MEPA's issuing an enforcement order," FAA spokesperson Astrid Vella said. "This brings enforcement under the spotlight yet again. All too often FAA reports abuse only to be told that initial inspections revealed no infringements."

"On our repeated insistence, visits by the Director of Enforcement proved that extensive abuse had in fact taken place. In other cases known abusers suspend works temporarily, only to continue the destruction as soon as MEPA officials leave.  Only ongoing inspection by MEPA and stiff fines will stamp out such abuse."

Although drafted by MEPA fourteen months ago, the legal notice imposing stiffer fines has not yet been ratified by parliament, Vella said, encouraging developers to take the risk and continue abusing.

Vella said that large urban gardens belonging to old 'palazzi' had become the latest targets of developers, with MEPA continues to issue development permits in protected green enclaves.

"In the case of the garden of the Casa del Gioco in Balzan, the Emergency Conservation Order which the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage requested in August 2011 was only published days after the MEPA session when the case was to be decided in December 2011.  To date that Emergency Conservation Order has not been followed up by scheduling protection which would finally decide the case. Other old Balzan gardens are similarly threatened," Vella said.

Although gardens were protected by the local plans in each of Malta's towns and villages, not a single old garden in Sliema and St Julian's has been protected as a green enclave. "One cannot help wondering whether this was intended to facilitate their eventual development. Pressure from the Sliema Residents Association and FAA resulted in the scheduling of only half of Villa Bonici's historic garden," Vella said.

Other Urban Conservation Area gardens such as those at The Palms, at Triq Sant' Anglu and Triq Sant Elija remain unprotected. "This can only be interpreted as an invitation to developers to fill them up with yet more unsellable flats."