Mepa programme helps Mellieha, Qala

Residents of Mellieha and Qala have recently benefited from money made available through the Environment Initiatives in Partnership Programme (EIPP), initiated by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in November, 2001.

The funds were used in these localities to create a public garden in Mellieha and embellish the locality of Qala.

The Mellieha local council took upon itself the responsibility to carry out the necessary works for the development of a public garden.

Named Gnien l-Gholjiet in Thomas Spratt Square, the garden is embellished with a variety of indigenous trees and shrubs. The works were carried out in two phases - site excavation and retention of pre-existing garigue patches, and creation of a landscaped recreational area.

Mepa financed Lm8,000 of this project made available through a 'planning gain' demanded by the authority as a permit condition for the development of a residential complex at Tas-Sellum in Mellieha. In the public garden one can appreciate patches of garigue (xaghri) that was a familiar sight prior to the 1960s when this type of terrain dominated this part of Mellieha.

The garigue is a typical Maltese ecosystem that develops mainly on exposed areas characterised by rough coralline rock with small scattered soil pockets. Garigue is characterised by a large number of Mediterranean plant species including aromatic shrubs such as wild thyme (saghtar).

The new garden also hosts a number of typical Maltese trees such as Aleppo pine (znuber), holm oak (ballut), carob (harrub), bay laurel (rand) and olive (zebbug).

At Qala, Mepa financed the replacement of the public benches along an important belvedere, together with an upgrading of the surrounding area.

The project was funded through a planning gain that was sought as a permit condition for the development of four dwelling units and underlying garages in the area. The Qala local council carried out the works.

Through the EIPP scheme, Mepa is at present also financing various other projects in Malta.