Allowing the development of a residence within the legally-established buffer zone of Ta Hagrat Temples, a Unesco World Heritage Site, would create a precedent allowing further development within other buffer zones of prehistoric sites, Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar said.

It said in a statement that the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal was expected to give advice on the matter tomorrow.

FAA noted that the development was within a buffer zone that Mepa created after extensive consultations and studies and that was part of the management plan for this World Heritage Site, one of the earliest forms of prehistoric temples excavated in Malta.

“Allowing a two-storey dwelling just meters from Ta’ Hagrat Temples is not redevelopment and is both obtrusive and invasive as well as a precedent that will destroy the integrity of the Skorba and Hagrat temples,” FAA said.