When passing through Heathrow Airport, I am always struck by the choice of photographs used to entice tourists to spend time in London.

This capital, known for its financial centre, does not try to impress with the Shard or other recent high-rise buildings, but uses images of old buildings and heritage areas to attract tourists. Apparently London does not aspire to be Singapore or Hong Kong as we do.  London is proud to be London.

Instead here in Malta we are destroying our old buildings with the enthusiasm of an Isis mob led by the Planning Authority and the politicians who direct it. The PA is organising cultural tours, yet blesses the destruction of that same architectural heritage.

It is proud to be sponsoring a German university’s landscape conference in Gozo, yet it permitted the ruination of the Xewkija valley landscape, allowing a car showroom to be built right over an ‘Eco-Gozo’ waterway.

It boasts of the “incredible overall improvement” to be seen in Gozo, yet has granted permits for the demolition of beautiful old houses on Żebbuġ square.

Tragically for Malta, it is the most beautiful old houses that are being destroyed – those with large gardens which draw unscrupulous developers like bees to a honeypot.

After the damaging permits granted to the Cloisters and Villa St Ignatius in St Julian’s, the latest applications to destroy beautiful heritage properties include The Palms at St Julian’s and Palazzo Giannini in Għaxaq. 

This lovely 250-year-old property is scheduled and it is simply inconceivable that such a Grade 2 protected garden, which is also designated as a green enclave in the 2006 local plan, should be destroyed.

We are destroying our old buildings with the enthusiasm of an Isis mob led by the Planning Authority and the politicians who direct it

The South Malta Local Plan is clear in its intention to protect these gems: “The thrust of this policy is to protect such enclaves and private gardens… such gardens and villas have a cultural and historical relevance… This policy prohibits any new development proposals in open space enclaves which will create new residential units, or any other type of new uses, as these will increase densities in UCAs, which will in turn have a direct negative impact on their character, especially due to additional traffic generation and parking requirements. This protective policy is fundamental to conserve these features which no longer exist in other localities.”

The 2004 application to develop this property had been roundly refused by all of Mepa’s heritage bodies: its Integrated Heritage Management Unit, its Heritage Advisory Committee and its Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee all agreed that “no proposed works shall be carried out within this site”.

This veto was strengthened by the 2013 scheduling. Yet this refusal followed by scheduling, plus the fact that Palazzo Giannini’s large garden contains several ancient protected trees, did not make a leading architect hesitate to reapply to build three blocks of flats in this beautiful garden.

This says a lot about the present ‘make hay while the sun shines’ climate.

It is furthermore shameful that this professional failed to mention the unique features of this house and garden in his submissions. Instead the owners are claiming that the garden is only an abandoned field.

Since when do fields include large ornamental ponds, statues, old colonnades and a massive underground arched water reservoir? The Planning Authority, in turn, failed to demand the obligatory photos required of others.

The residents of Għaxaq are understandably extremely concerned about this application which would bring about the destruction of one of the few green lungs in this densely built-up area. The area is already prone to flooding, and with the sealing of the soil in this garden the neighbours could face a repeat of the floods of some years ago.

Our hopes lie in the new Superintendent of Cultural Heritage, the same person who for years has repeated that gardens in urban conservation areas are protected. The people have spoken with an impressive 1,700 objections in response to Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar’s campaign. Will the Planning Authority and its masters listen?

The South Malta Local Plan had specifically stated that these palazzos represent the area’s potential to establish cultural tourism in the region.  Recently, the Planning Authority defended its decision to sacrifice ODZ land at Delimara, saying that it will “open a new window of opportunity for tourism accommodation in the South of Malta”.

One hopes that this reasoning will also hold good when it comes to saving a heritage gem.

Astrid Vella, coordinator, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar.