For the last 10 years, the Save Wied Garnaw Action Group has been campaigning so that Wied Garnaw is not destroyed by illegal commercial and urban development.

This valley is one of Malta’s last remaining green lungs and is located on Malta’s ground water table. For this reason it is legally protected as an aquifer protection zone. It also contains top quality soil and is protected as a rural conservation zone. By law, therefore, Mepa is duty bound to keep this area as a Strategic Open Gap and prevent urban sprawl.

Up to now, the campaign seems to have worked. Now a significant application has been submitted to Mepa asking for a permit to build a multi-storey residential complex for the elderly on the valley’s flank with Luqa Road. The architect representing this application is one of three members on a Mepa Appeals Tribunal.

The Save Wied Garnaw Action Group and the Santa Luċija Residents Action Committee have initiated a petition which calls on Mepa to inform the applicant that the proposed development is not permissible by law and to reject such an application. Moreover, the petition calls on Mepa to safeguard ODZ areas and on the authorities not to loosen the development reins in ODZ areas.

Over 1,900 people have already signed the online petition. I urge everyone to follow suit. The petition can be found at:

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/help-save-wied-garnaw-from-illegal-development-together-we-can-do-it

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