Ugliness of our (half-) built environment

"Some time ago the Deputy Mayor of Qala was reported to have deplored the issuing of a Mepa permit for the redevelopment of a restaurant in Qala. He noted that this development would obliterate what he described as "the most beautiful view in Malta and Gozo".

Similarly, an article had appeared in The Times about the way some Valletta streets' sea views had been adversely affected by the huge development at Tigné Point. In a similar vein another local paper published an article with an accompanying picture which deplored the way the Għargħur skyline had been ruined by the addition of penthouses atop buildings thus obstructing the view of what arguably used to be one of the most picturesque villages in Malta. Especially when viewed from the North - from across the valley of Wied id-Dies, the skyline of the Għargħur church and surrounding village was picture postcard material. No longer, thanks to an unsightly apartment block that, amazingly, was built with the blessing of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority with the result that it has obliterated a hitherto attractive view of this typical Maltese village.

All problems that Mepa has been responsible for although we are, supposedly, blessed with an authority whose job it is to protect the environment. Yet the utter abandon of any attempt to safeguard our environmental heritage is nothing but shameful. In the case of the Għargħur building the authority must have completely disregarded the effect this building would have on the view of the village church and the surrounding skyline. One is prompted to ask whether an Aesthetics Board exists in this questionable organisation - or has that also been scrapped in the interests of the developer? If the above instances, to name a few, are anything to go by, the answer must be either that no such board/committee exists or that it has completely abandoned its duty.

What is worse is that since there does not appear to be any mention of such a board in the planned reform, are we to expect more development with complete disregard for environmental aesthetics?

And while on the subject of aesthetics, one presumes that when an application for the development of, say a block of flats, is submitted to Mepa, this has to be accompanied with plans and drawings etc. to illustrate what the finished project will look like and how it will affect its surroundings and the environment. Surely it is on the basis of these considerations that Mepa will finally decide whether to approve or otherwise such a project. It surely then becomes incumbent on the developer to complete the project in accordance with plans submitted - and it should be equally the responsibility of the Authority to ensure that this is done. Why does Mepa not insist that this is done? Why has Mepa allowed hundreds of shell form, skeletal, unfinished developments to proliferate and litter Malta's urban and suburban areas thus contributing significantly to the "uglification" of our long suffering island.

One hopes it is not too late to ensure that aesthetics are given the importance they deserve by the creation of an Aesthetics Board, and that measures and penalties are implemented to put a stop to the abuse of leaving projects unfinished."

The above is a letter to the Times that I had thought of having published some time go - but experience has taught me that it's a thankless and useless task writing what one believes to be matters of environmental concern. It's like pouring water over a duck's back, for all the notice those responsible take of such issues.

But Vanessa Macdonald's breakfast debate on June 23 intrigued and renewed my interest in getting the Mepa chairman's views on these matters. Regrettably, I will be abroad on the date of the debate and will therefore be unable to participate personally to have a face to face exchange with Mr Walker. More's the pity but instead I wonder if he would be good enough to reply to these concerns in the press, particularly with regard to the apparent absence of an Aesthetics Board and to the proliferation of skeleton developments that remain unfinished for years, despite what I regard as Mepa's responsibility to ensure they are completed according to plans approved within a reasonable time.