A planning permit to convert a coastal house in an ODZ area at Xrobb l-Għagin has been flagged as worrying by two environmental lobby groups. 

Nature Trust (Malta) and Front Ħarsien ODZ have both said they are "seriously concerned" by the manner in which Yana Bland Mintoff, the daughter of former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff, obtained planning permission for the site. 

Dr Mintoff Bland. Photo: Chris Sant FournierDr Mintoff Bland. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Dr Bland Mintoff was given the go-ahead to convert the building into a two-bedroomed house last February. She has also received planning permission to excavate parts of the site to build a reservoir.

The site lies on cliffs, on a site which the government has designated as being an area of ecological importance and landscape value. 

In a joint statement, the two lobby groups argued that planning approval was based on a permit that was issued almost 15 years ago, back in 2002, but which never materialised. 

They said the house lies close to historical remains, including a De Redin watchtower dating back to 1659, and an entrenchment wall with the remains of 2 redans built by French military engineers in 1761. Saltpans lie in front of the site, with an educational nature park behind it. 

Both environmental groups raised warning flags about the way in which the Planning Authority issued Dr Bland Mintoff with a permit to excavate a reservoir within one month. 

Dr Bland Mintoff filed an application for the reservoir on August 10 and received the go-ahead on September 12.

Aside from concerns about the fast-tracked application, the eNGOs argued that the permit should never have been approved in the first place, given that "this building was never used as a residence and the site is in a scheduled ODZ area."

They asked whether historical remains had been taken into consideration when granting permission.

"A geological assessment should be carried out to determine whether the excavation and other machinery works related to this development would threaten the scheduled coastal area and the historical remains," the eNGOs said. 

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