Environment NGO Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar and Ghaxaq Local Council protested today over the granting of a permit for apartments to be built on the site of the garden of the 250-year-old Palazzo Giannini.

The permit has been confirmed by the Mepa Appeals Tribunal.

"The Appeals Tribunal decision to allow the development of this garden into 30 flats is in violation of the South Malta Local Plan and in defiance of repeated MEPA refusals in similar cases," FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said.

She said this case was similar to the one at Three Churches Street in Balzan where another garden of an old palazzo had also been given a permit by the appeals board and it was now pending a renewal. Both sites, she said, were protected green enclaves. 

In both cases, every official heritage organisation had objected strongly to the granting of permits, Ms Vella said. They included the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Integrated Heritage Management Unit.

Ms Vella said the FAA was calling for the immediate scheduling of both properties and the revocation of permits issued so far.

The FAA, she said, was also calling for incentives to encourage owners to restore old properties. Such incentives could include reduced inheritence tax, waiving of VAT on restoration work and granting of loans at reduced interest rates.

Members of Ghaxaq council said the development of the garden has serious implications for flooding in the area as no space was left for water run-off.

 

 

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