Piecemeal scheduling undermining tourism policy - FAA
An aerial photograph showing piecemeal scheduling in the VIllino Chappelle area.
While the government was doing its best to recover parts of the fortifications that were in private hands, the planning authority’s practice of only scheduling parts of heritage gardens made the construction of flats in these gardens possible, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar said.
It said in a statement that building more empty flats in heritage gardens, such as Villino Chappelle, Villa Bonici and Villa Mekrech, harmed residents’ health and undermined Malta’s tourism policy aimed at boosting tourism through the valorisation of heritage properties.
"It is just as unthinkable as building flats in Palazzo Parisio - a model of what can be achieved with such properties," it said.
It praised what it described as the recent move in favour of the preservation of heritage buildings but said that MEPA wasfailing in its responsibility to ensure that owners carried out at least basic maintenance of scheduled properties.
Old villas, it said, were being bought for the development potential of their large gardens, so their collapse through neglect would favour the owners.
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Antonio Anastasi
Dec 30th 2012, 20:07
Neighbors of the Chapelle garden have also reported a colony of bats in the garden. Bats and their environment are protected under MEPA regulations. This alone, should give pause to the idea of giving the go ahead for a futile development, which was previously refused because of the density of buildings in the area and I believe the importance of this green lung.
Antonio Anastasi
Dec 30th 2012, 20:01
It appears that MEPA members have the interest of the construction industry in mind more than protecting the quality of life of people living in green environments. If the Chaplle gardens development is allowed it will be done to the detriment of health of the people living around the gardens, as well as diminishing the value of their properties.
Steve Mizzi
Dec 28th 2012, 18:11
This article shows how amateurish the FAA really are, they couldn't have used a worse example if they tried. Most of Palazzo Parisio's grounds were turned into the Trade Fair complex.
Please do some research before pontificating.
Joe Grech
Dec 28th 2012, 21:15
And can you imagine building flats in what remains of Palazzo Parisio Gardens, Mr Mizzi? Or San Anton, or Villa Bologna if we come to that? If mistakes have been made, should we make them worse? Or are you one of the developers that has bought up one of these gardens, because that's what it sounds like.
Ray Pisani
Dec 29th 2012, 18:42
FAA are making a valid point and all you care about is the example they used.
I do imagine FAA were talking of Palazzo Parisio's formal garden which is the one everyone sees on emerging from the Villa at the rear.
The land used for the Trade fair was rented out not for development but to be used to encourage trade
in Malta. I doubt if any of the structures are permanant.
Josianne Carabott
Dec 30th 2012, 05:19
Thks to FAA we the public are having our rights, there are many places that can be built, so in these gardens you like to built flats, a place that is a 50yr old is a heritage and everyone needs to obey the law, and they have 200yrs so what they are called?FAA used a good eg so the other gardens are an icon in Malta and no one can destroy our heritage. FAA are a jewel in Malta and doing a good job
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