The planning authority yesterday gave the green light to a scaled down development in a lush valley in Santa Marija estate which still features a natural spring.

Last December, the Mellieħa residents were pleasantly surprised that the Malta Environment and Planning Authority turned down a massive development in Għajn Żejtuna valley.

But the same authority yesterday accepted the development after it was reduced from 13 dwellings to seven over the same number of plots.

Residents are concerned the proposed development will be located too close to a freshwater stream, home to the endemic qabru (Maltese freshwater crab) and the painted frog, both of which are as endangered as their habitat.

One of the conditions that allowed the outline development permit to go through was that the buffer zone away from the stream was extended by two metres. This led the authority’s board to deem “that there were now enough safeguards to protect the integrity and ecology of the scheduled valley”.

Sammy Vella, from the Santa Marija Residents Association, is suspicious about the developments.

While he acknowledged that Mepa took the submissions made by the residents seriously, he felt the site was not being treated with the importance it merited.

He said the valley should be given a higher level of protection because of its natural stream and that a full environmental impact assessment should have been carried out. He was also critical of the buffer zone – where only pools can be built – being so close to the stream.

“We know swimming pools aren’t cut with a laser beam. There is no way to guarantee rock will not be eaten away from the reserved area for the watercourse,” Mr Vella said.

He also raised concern that in the winter, during excavation work, rain might carry ­construction debris downs­-tream, contaminating the stream.

“Our complaint is not against the developer, but we expected the environmental protection department to do its work properly, and not be an accomplice,” Mr Vella said. The residents will now be looking in detail at each individual development application and make its representations accordingly.

“I have enjoyed that valley all my life, I was brought up there, my grandfather and my dad were farmers there, but I’d like our successors to enjoy this valley for themselves,” Mr Vella said.

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