Some 114 residents are objecting to the renewal of a permit for the construction of villas in an area of archaeological importance in Rabat. The site is on the eastern urban fringe of the locality, immediately behind George Borg Olivier Street.

Addressing a news conference on site yesterday, Carmel Cacopardo, the architect representing the residents, said it had been subjected to a number of applications until a fifth application on half the site permitted residential development.

Three applications submitted by 2001 had all been refused by the Development Control Commission. The Appeals Board confirmed the decisions. A fourth application was refused in 2004 but the fifth one allowed residential development on the basis that the proposed development was less intense than that of previous applications.

Mr Cacopardo said that when he asked the Malta Environment and Planning Authority’s audit officer to investigate the approved permits, it was concluded that these had been approved against established policies. He also pointed out that the area was never considered a building site but had been classified as a “white area” and, according to the Local Plan, was “to be protected from any development, which will adversely affect the scenic value of the conservation area, or views from the conservation area, or disturb the existing landscape setting”.