Campaign to reduce height of countryside walls launched

In response to Igalea’s comment:

I would like to repeat that the campaign is being undertaken in conformity with Legal Notice 115 of 2007 (Development Notification Order, 2007 - Development Planning Act Cap. 356). It is therefore part of Maltese Planning legislation which, as the more specialised law in this field, supersedes the Article quoted from the Civil Code.


Dr. Karl Vella
Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs

It is now going to be far easier to throw the odd fridge, washing machine, mattress and other rubbish over these lower walls than it was before. (Probably the reason that the walls were built so high in the first place).

I remember about a year ago seeing "The Profs" pointing 8 fingers in the commercial on TVM , about building walls to the height of 8 layers of bricks " 8 FILATI " so that no rubbish is thrown into private property, because Sunday country walkers,some of them take their home rubbish,and when they see no one is in the fields they dump it there, another thing when someone builds a rubble wall ,for the top certain stones are put in a position so that it won` t start falling, so when lowering it care must be taken how to leave the top layer,

a attard
That is not what the law states. It is both for weather protection and protection from vandals and thieves. The separation of fields by rubble walls is both due to inheritance divisions, to protect the soil from being washed away and due to the terraced nature of the land.

Dr. Karl Vella
Thanks for the info but,
Article 408 Civil Code Kap 16 downloaded a few days ago.
408. Il-ħajt li jaqsam żewġ btieħi, ġonna jew għelieqi, jista’ jinbena tas-sejjieħ, iżda għandu jkun -
(a) għoli tliet metri u nofs, jekk ikun bejn żewġ btieħi, jew bejn żewġ ġonna illi fihom l-aktar li jkun hemm siġar tal-larinġ jew tal-lumi;
(b) għoli żewġ metri u erbgħin ċentimetru, jekk ikun bejn żewġ ġonna illi fihom ikun hemm l-aktar siġar ta’ xorta oħra minn dawk hawn fuq imsemmija; u
(ċ) għoli metru u nofs, jekk ikun bejn żewġ għelieqi.

So now with a simple Legal Notice without any Parliamentary debate we are removing law provisions which no doubt had been long debated before being enacted. The fields will have less protection and make it easier for vandals and thieves to steal the agricultural products.

Well done. As important is their purpose to keep away soil erosion and so on, high rubble walls do not look so good especially on main roads where they spoil a scenic ride. I think citrus trees can be equally protected with great reed (Qasab) Its also a pity that so many fields had to be separated with rubble walls (and not to guard from erosion) for inheritance purposes I guess.

Aren't there better priorities like for example law enforcement of active trapping sites, illegal reclamation of garrigue areas, illegal blokage of footpaths, claiming govermnet land illegal, squatters etc?

When were the rubble walls in question were erected? Hope the over zealous workers did not demolish some long existing walls, and that the work was done professionally.
However as someone contibuted earlier on now we really get a good view of the magnificent temple of modernity erected nearby. This building is really in line with the policy for a scheduled buffer zone. An impact assessment was in fact conducted to assess that there were no archelogical remains a couple of meters away from a stone age temple.

This reminds us of the policy that exists in urban zones where walls have to be erected to obstruct any opening that might exist. We are now suffering from eyesores everywhere, and the little green patches that could be seen in these areas now lie behind 8 curses high brick walls.

In response to Igalea’s comment:

The campaign is being undertaken in conformity with Legal Notice 115 of 2007 (Development Notification Order, 2007) which establishes the following height limitations for the erection or alteration of dry-stone rubble walls built on existing agricultural land or along a legally existing street:

a) 1.2 metres above soil level on both sides; or
b) in the case of different levels of terraced land, 1.2 metres above the higher soil level and 2.4 metres from the lower soil level.

Dr. Karl Vella
Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs

should have started from bahrija and siggiewi. High walls are very convenient to hide villas without permits behind, away from sight

@ Neville Debattista

"thousand of holes which we may encounter during our weekly rambling spree."

Do you go rambling along Malta's main roads?

oh come on, this is ridiculous. Can't the government use our tax money for more useful things?? And what happened to private property?

@Andrew Cassar
Thank you reference the difference between built up and ODZ (Some might argue that ODZ means Over Developed Zone LOL).

@Igalea
Great incentive to plant citrus trees :-)

Mr. Minister, while you're at it, can you also fix signs indicating private property please because owners are sick and tired of trespassers.

Mr. Debattista : isn't rambling the wandering in the countryside and the joy of going on the beaten track ? Why would you want a flat surface..aren't potholes the fun of the adventure of going in the countryside ? or should govt tarmac the way around the fields ?

Well done for the countryside action Minister Pullicino. The place is truly a beautiful spot and without the high walls in the countryside every person can enjoy the open green space. keep it up

Well done Minister Pullicino at least someone's got an environmental conscience...

IMMA KIF QATT MA JGHOGOBKOM XEJN!!!

HUDU PACENZJA 4 SNIN OHRA!!!

Good for motorists. It should reduce the number of blind bends, especially on country roads, and enable drivers to see oncoming traffic earlier.

Honourable Dr.George we do appreciate the fact that you are concerned that we ramblers could have more fun once the rubble walls are lowered a foot or two but we would be much more happy if you can get somoene to fill the thousand of holes which we may encounter during our weekly rambling spree.

Addio Liberta. Isn't this private property? Aren't country-side lanes owned by farmers? Does that mean that farmers can solve the whole problem by simply putting gates?

What about the "Berlin Wall" style wall at Fawwara valley?

Good initiative.... +1
when the authorities lie idle for ages, it's a waste of taxpayers' money.
however when the authorities EXCUSE or even worse DEFEND abuses - they become worse than the offender and an enemy within.

Thus it is peculiar to note that whilst this initiative is commendable, the same Ministry, the same Minister Pullicino and MEPA, have year in year out, allowed fish farms to pollute our bays by closing both eyes -
on the operations conducted,
the proximity to the sea shore that the 'cages' are drawn to
and the extra number of cages (empty or not) that are left at sea - even at the height of the tourist season.
Here we're not only talking of spoiling the sight but also killing off the seabed and the sea quality - i.e. we stand to loose much more than enjoyment!
MEPA's, the Ministry's and Minister's Pullicino anthics to excuse such abusues and worse - raise everyone's eyebrows.....but apparently not Dr. Gonzi's

@Paul Barrett
The height of walls mentioned here is for outside development zones (ODZ) this does not apply for built up areas where walls could be higher

The law provides that where the majority of trees in a field are citrus, and that means that even if there is only one tree in the field and it is citrus, then the walls must be 3.6 Metres high.

Does MEPA officials know the law?

Is this not in conflict with the height of walls just been ordered for building sites, vacant property etc ?

Resources Minister George Pullicino had referred to the campaign when he spoke in the Budget debate in Parliament late last year, saying high walls were denying the people the proper enjoyment of the countryside.

The people of Sliema are also denied to enjoy the sea views because of the flats built, so what he'll do demolish them? what about villas that also have high walls, and obstruct views?

I am from this area and it is absolutely suffocating to see rubble walls being erected the double height as it previously was. This because the owner’s decision to turn his field into a BBQ area or even excavating to build a pool. Not only making the country side passages into alleys, but turning the countryside into a network of high walls that looks like a rural fortification from the distance.

Is the height of 1.2mt above road level or above soil level?

../..

good job
now we all can see the new building next to the temples