Stretch of Gozo coastline scheduled

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has scheduled a stretch of coastline and hinterland along the north-eastern coast of Gozo, located within the limits of Xaghra and Zebbug, known as Ghajn Barrani.

Besides the remarkable landscape, the area harbours a rich component of biodiversity.

Mepa said protecting sites of ecological and scientific importance is high on its agenda as it seeks to continue with its efforts to ensure that land use and the protection of the environment meet the needs of today's society and future communities.

Mepa was scheduling the area to restrict development according to the different levels of protection that have been allocated.

This area is typified by various vegetation communities of national and international importance associated with watercourses, garigue and clay slopes, including species such as the native African Tamarisk, Chaste tree and Shrubby Orache plant communities and unique maquis based on old olives, hawthorns, pomegranates and various wild rosaceous tree species, Mepa said.

The Ghajn Barrani area has been given three distinct levels of protection.

The highest degree of protection is the level 1 area of ecological importance (AEI) and site of scientific importance (SSI), limited to the troughs along the clay slopes that support freshwater springs.

The rest of the clay slopes, escarpments and coastline are scheduled as a level 2 AEI and SSI, whereas the Ghajn Damma peninsula is scheduled as a level 2 SSI.

The adjacent areas further inland have been scheduled as a level 3 buffer zone to further safeguard the integrity of the level 1 and 2 areas. The entire area has also been scheduled as an area of high landscape value. Beside informing all known land owners or land users of this scheduling, Mepa will also be distributing an information leaflet to all residents living in the locality.