AD requests better protection for Villa Barbaro
Alternattiva Demokratika is requesting better safeguard for Villa Barbaro in Tarxien through protection of the surrounding landscape.
Chairman Arnold Cassola said that Villa Barbaro is one of the oldest country villas in Malta, its oldest surviving parts pre-dating the arrival of the Knights of St John in 1530. The building and its sumptuous gardens have been witness to many episodes and protagonists of Malta's history, amongst whom also Grand Master De Rohan.
Spokesman for sustainable development Carmel Cacopardo noted that while the building of this country house was scheduled through the 1925 Antiquities Protection Act and provisions of the Development Protection Act, its unique gardens were not yet protected.
A buffer zone was urgently needed around the grounds of Villa Barbaro to ensure that new buildings did not encroach on the villa and its gardens, thereby ensuring landscape protection.
AD said that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority should ensure that any building in the buffer zone should not be too high, in order to protect and visually preserve the appearance of this historic monument.
"Luckily, this concept of a buffer zone and of buildings which do not go beyond a certain height around historical buildings has been now established in the cases of Villa Bologna in Attard and of Gougion Tower in Lija. Let us ensure that the same principle is applied to Villa Barbaro in Tarxien", Mr Cacopardo said.
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Ray Sultana
Jan 26th 2009, 09:22
Villa Barbaro and other buildings of historical value need to be protected in their entirety. While in this case the gardens form an integral part of the structure and should also be protected, a buffer zone should ensure other buildings do not negatively effect the visual integrity of buildings like these. Mepa, please act immediately to safeguard our heritage.
D Vella
Jan 25th 2009, 08:08
Isn't it about time that owners of historical houses got together in an association of some kind,all the better to protect and promote their, and,in a sense,our heritage?. I'm sure I need not spell out the benefits from such a move.
Apart from making Government and local Councils aware of their needs, they might be able to obtain funds from Government and Industry as well as the EU to help in maintenance and upgrading of the fabric and gardens of their properties. Nothing comes for nothing,and it might be that as in France and the UK they may have to open their house and garden for two or three days a year to the public. Surely that would be a small price to pay knowing that these places will never be threatened by surrounding development as well as keeping part of our history and heritage alive. The end results would be a better 'ambjent' for us as well as to the tourism industry ,which is the mainstay of the economy. Surely everyone benefits.
CLIFFORD VELLA
Jan 24th 2009, 19:21
Very nice news keep it up. I want to add something else. Can the authorities inform me back when they are going to restor the Qrendi Windmill. This windmill either Mqabba and even Qrendi do not want to take the responsability of it because everyone say that it is not in their village. If that the case , so who is responsable.??? Pls hurry up before it will be too late.