Housing Authority says no damage will be done

The Housing Authority will be taking precautions to ensure no damage is caused to World War II shelters during the building of a block in Mtarfa, Housing Authority chairman Marisa Micallef said.

She added that contrary to what had been claimed, no punic catacombs had been found on site. The footprint of the block was also being reduced so as not to impinge on a tomb.

Last week, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority's Appeals Board started hearing an appeal filed against a development permit granted to the Housing Authority by residents objecting to the permit because of archaeological remains on site.

The authority is planning a number of residential units under its Shared Ownership Scheme between Dar il-Kaptan and the Old Sisters Quarters.

Resident Noel Spiteri, who is coordinating the objections on behalf of what he says are more than 140 families, claims the site has not been properly investigated by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the remains risk being destroyed by the development.

Replying to a report in The Times last Friday, Ms Micallef said the appeal against Mepa's decision granted on December 26 had been filed by architect J. H. Spiteri on behalf of Mr Spiteri, adding that the local council had not taken part in the appeal, contrary to what was stated in Friday's report.

Ms Micallef said Mr Spiteri had, on previous occasions, expressed his objection to the project, located opposite his house "which he constructed some 12 years ago on a plot allocated to him under the Home Ownership Scheme".

She said that in 2001, Mr Spiteri had attended a session of Mepa's Development Control Commission when the original application for the project had been approved, insisting he had a personal interest in putting a stop to the project and saying he was determined to "go to all lengths not to allow this housing project to materialise".

A spokesman for the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had confirmed to the Times they had not been consulted about the original application.

When the remains were unearthed, the Superintendence stopped the works and recommended roofing over part of the remains, asking the Housing Authority to withdraw on the western side.

The Superintendence now says that building over the remains while leaving access should create no problem.

Ms Micallef said there had been no proviso for archaeological features in the issue of the original permit as the remains were unearthed after the works started.

"The development was immediately put to a halt when some rock-cut features were uncovered, so that an archaeological investigation of the entire site could be carried out. No other construction works have been carried out since.

"The features were clearly identified by the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage as subterranean tunnel complexes which served as World War II air raid shelters.

"Later on, a rock-cut tomb was discovered in the west end of the site. No Punic catacombs were found as alleged," Ms Micallef said.

The Housing Authority, she said, had modified its plans after lengthy discussions with the Superintendence, which had carried out thorough investigations.

Mr Spiteri yesterday rebutted Ms Micallef's claim that he was objecting to the development simply out of personal interest, saying he had collected signatures with another three people in 2005 and presented them to Mepa, obtaining support from people who lived far away from the site in question.

He said that the residents had the support of the local council all along.

In an e-mail sent to the Mepa chairman by the Mtarfa local council in December 2006, acting executive secretary Paul J. Pace wrote:

"The Mtarfa local council would like to record its agreement with the appeal filed and for this reason we encourage you to stop the works under PA08100/05."