More assistance should be given to owners of properties in village cores to restore and maintain them, Din l-Art Helwa said.

In its reaction to the Budget, it said that the exemption of Mepa fees would attract buyers to invest in properties in urban conservation areas and was very positive.

However, other schemes, such as that for the restoration of balconies, should be re-introduced, and not only for a specific area of Valletta, as reported in the Budget.

Din l-Art Helwa said that while the publication of studies for a permanent link to Gozo was a positive development, it was concerned about the implications of a cruise liner terminal and airstrip.

It said that while there were many positive actions proposed in this Budget, the Government was not doing enough to direct proposals towards existing buildings and structures.

The biggest disappointment, Din l-Art Ħelwa said, was the governments’ insistence on development in outside development zones, as in the case of the American University of Malta and the St Paul’s Bay School.