FAA welcomes initiatives to preserve properties of historical significance

The heritage and environment group Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) has welcomed legislation, currently before Parliament, to enable it to acquire properties that are of cultural or historical significance.

It proposed the compilation of a single list of buildings that are of historic and cultural value as well as the drawing up of a National Restoration Strategy listing the sites most in need of urgent work in order to ensure their survival.

"There is a lot of work to be done. Although this legislation is commendable, it will be crippled while heritage authorities such as the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and MEPA's Heritage Unit remain grossly understaffed and the Heritage Advisory Committees is left without resources," the group said.

"If MEPA's DCC boards are allowed to ignore these authorities, treasured structures in our towns and villages will continue to be in danger."

FAA said that since appropriation of property was an extreme measure, other measures should also be used to preserve heritage. These included MEPA's power to issue conservation orders and to order the owners of deteriorating scheduled properties to undertake restoration works. When the owner failed to take action, MEPA may itself carry out the necessary works and charge the owner of the scheduled property.

"FAA fails to understand why this solution has not been pursued with greater vigour in the case of Australia Hall in Pembroke owned by the PL and the Queen's former residence, Villa Guardamangia in Pieta, both in an advanced state of deterioration," the group said.

REUSE OF IMPORTANT BUILDINGS

The FAA said it was laudable that the proposed legislation for the first time also recognised that buildings closely connected to major historical events also deserved preservation. While such properties should only be used for public purposes, it suggested that, given the impossibility of converting all large historic houses into museums, the government should think creatively about a wider scope of re-use of such properties.

One such use could be homes for elderly people.

Owners of scheduled properties should be given assistance to maintain such architectural gems for the benefit of the nation. A scheme of financial assistance for works to scheduled properties was included in last year's budget but the actual scheme was never announced.

Programmes should also be held to give construction workers training in restoration skills FAA appreciates the fact that NGOs were consulted on this legislation and is encouraged that the authorities are beginning to recognise that the way forward is through ongoing consultation with civil society.