Cabinet agrees to expropriate contested land at Ta’ Hagrat

The Cabinet has agreed to expropriate a piece of land and blocking the construction of a two-storey building in the Ta’ Hagrat buffer zone.

A permit for the construction of a villa in the narrow space that presently separates the temples from the nearby houses was issued by MEPA.

According to the government, the expropriation of land was being done for “public purpose”. MEPA has been instructed to urgently consider issuing an emergency conservation order.

In a statement, the parliamentary secretariat for planning explained the permit had been approved by both the MEPA and appeals board since the piece of land was within development zone.

“The Cabinet has agreed to expropriate the land to make amends for the mistakes carried out by the Nationalist administration during the drafting of the 2006 Local Plan policy. This buffer zone had been retained in the development zone,” the parliamentary secretariat said.

The news was very much welcomed by environment NGOs Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Ramblers Malta and Friends of the Earth Malta. It however urged government to reconsider two other policies deemed to be detrimental to the island’s heritage.

“The eNGOs hope that this is a first step that will lead government to withdraw the two new policies being proposed that weaken the preservation of Malta’s heritage,” the NGOs said, referring to the sanctioning of illegal developments at built or natural scheduled (protected) sites and the scheduling of heritage buildings.

Heritage buildings will be reviewed every ten years putting them at risk of being demolished in favour of yet more apartments.

The eNGOs also urged the authorities to enact legislation to further strengthen the buffer zones of scheduled natural and cultural sites.

“Given the shabby state of the approach to the Ta’ Hagrat Temples it is proposed that government takes this opportunity to turn the expropriated properties into a public open space worthy of such an important UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site is also long overdue for an information centre.”

The NGOs thanked the 2,300 people who supported the Ta’ Hagrat cause and signed the petition calling for the immediate withdrawal of the disputed permit.