Ruinous development

I fully agree with Ninette Zammit (The Sunday Times, February 26) to complain about the permits issued by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for high-rise buildings in areas which were built only for terraced houses.

I have been living in such an area for 25 years. Unfortunately, in the last five years, terraced houses with beautiful architecture are being replaced by monstrous five-storey apartment blocks. This has devalued our property and has created a parking problem.

Like Ms Zammit, now we cannot install a photovoltaic system because sunlight is being blocked. Instead of having a view of the sea we now look out on a five-storey-high wall.

Should people in our situation ask for compensation from Mepa or the government as Dom Mintoff did for the devaluation of his property when the power station was built next to his residence at Delimara?

Citizens and NGOs should take a stand to preserve the areas of terraced houses in our villages as we do for the village cores, as these are now part of our identity and are under threat.