(Adds FAA and Mepa statements)
The Mepa board this morning granted a full development permit for the building of three blocks of flats, each two storeys high, in part of the garden of Villa Mekrech in Hal Ghaxaq. The garden is one of the biggest in Malta.
Mepa's Heritage Advisory Committee had requested scheduling of the property including its baroque garden in 2005 and the property was indicated in the local plans of 2006, when the villa and all its garden was designated as a protected enclave.
Mepa's (then) DCC board had issued an outline permit for the flats in 2008, despite the recommendations of the Mepa directorate for refusal.
The villa and its gardens were scheduled last month on the insistence of environment NGO Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar, but the scheduling left out that part of the garden for which there was a development permit.
During this morning's Mepa board hearing, the Mepa planning directorate said the application violated the south Malta local plan.
A member of the board, Judge Vanni Bonello, expressed his regret that he would have to vote in favour of the application since it already had an outline permit.
FAA representative Astrid Vella quoted the case officer report saying that in case of illegal destruction of trees - as, she said, had happened in this case - the outline permit became invalid. She produced pictures to show that trees had been removed.
FAA STATEMENT
In a statement this evening FAA said that through its approval, the Mepa board had removed any pretence of environmental and heritage protection.
It said that although Mepa's Planning Directorate still insisted that the project was not acceptable, the permit was approved by the majority of directors, including Judge Bonello and Philip Manduca, who had been appointed to represent the interests of heritage. Labour MP Roderick Galdes voted against the project.
FAA said that according to Mepa's Heritage Unit the proposed development would demolish part of the large garden and compromise the heritage value of the rest of the property. It would also set a precedent for similar redevelopment requests on the abutting related gardens.
FAA expressed disgust at the Mepa board's refusal to investigate the evidence of abuse presented to it, and declared that it had lost faith in the Mepa board.
MEPA EXPLAINS
In a statement, Mepa said that last month Grade 2 level of protection was given to Villa Mekrech and its formal garden in Triq Santa Marija, Hal Ghaxaq.
To protect Villa Mekrech and its formal garden, the Authority designated the area behind the formal garden with its frontage on Triq il-Kuncizzjoni, as a buffer zone whereby any development could only have a depth of 25m from the street with a limited height restriction of two floora and a stairwell access of 1.5m metres in height. No services could be placed on the roof of the stairwell, to safeguard the visual integrity of the townhouse and its gardens.
"Notwithstanding, both the outline development permit (which was granted in October 2008) and the full development permission application are in line with the scheduling conditions. "
As regards to the uprooting of trees, back in 2009 Mepa said it had issued a permit for the uprooting and relocation of three olives trees.