Lija residents irate over proposed development

Lija residents are up in arms over a proposed four-storey building adjacent to the historic Belveder Tower, in Transfiguration Avenue, fearing the development would ruin the landscape.

An application has been filed at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for the demolition of part of a house next to the tower and for the building of a basement garage, eight flats and a penthouse on the third floor. The Development Control Commission will discuss the application this afternoon.

Some 250 irate residents have signed a letter and petitioned Mepa to refuse the application saying the width of Transfiguration Avenue, together with the houses on either side, "complements one of the most beautiful avenues that till today remains untouched by the construction of flats and four-storey buildings".

The residents told Mepa in an October 2006 letter it was unacceptable that high-rise buildings would ruin such a "humble" village.

Replying to the objectors on March 1, 2007, Mepa notified the residents that "fresh plans may have been filed by the applicant", informing them that they may be present for the proceedings but cannot make verbal representations during the meeting.

The Lija local council has also objected to Mepa in a number of letters to the authorities over the past months, mayor Ian Castaldi Paris told The Times yesterday.

"We object to developments of this sort because we do not want the village core to be ruined," Dr Castaldi Paris said.

In its latest letter sent to Mepa last week, the council noted its "unanimous vote of objection as a body officially representing the Lija villagers", and said that if given the go-ahead, "this development would ruin the characteristics of the Lija entrance".

Astrid Vella, from Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar (FAA), said the proposed development was "yet another example of the assault on urban conservation areas".

The ongoing destruction of the country's characteristic villages has been made much worse by the raising of building heights and, especially, by the new local plans of August 2006, she noted.

"A beautiful and historic vista like that of Transfiguration Avenue, stretching from the landmark belvedere to the parish church, is supposedly protected at law.

"If this permit goes through, it will be proof of how Mepa has given up on preserving village cores," Ms Vella said.