A Gozo Ministry project for the restoration and rehabilitation of the Cittadella was this morning approved by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.
The authority gave the green light to the outline application related to the implementation of the Cittadella Master Plan recommendations.
The plan, commissioned by the ministry proposes a variety of actions inlcuding the restoration of key buildings and public spaces, the installation of new services, the creation of visitor interpretation facilities and related amenities to accessibility and lighting.
Mepa also approved the third of a series of full development applications addressing specific actions for the Cittadella namely, the restoration and conversion of a historical unused reservoir into a state-of-the-art visitors' centre.
The reservoir, an architectural gem which has been hidden from public eye for more than a century and a half will be restored and rehabilitated to provide multi-media interpretative facilities for visitors, which would help them understand better the history and importance of the Cittadella and its fortifications.
Earlier this year, Mepa approved two other applications related to this project – one for the restoration of facades of important public buildings within Cittadella including the Gozo Law Courts, Governor's Palace and Old Prisons and the trenching works for services inside the Cittadella which include the repaving of all the streets and walkways, increasing accessibility for all to most parts of the site.
Currently, Mepa is also assessing other applications related to this project, including the rehabilitation and restoration of Cathedral Square and the upgrading of the access road leading to it.
Other applications include one for landscaping and rehabilitation works in the ditch, installation of floodlighting and low level street and building lighting and the installation of signage, outdoor furniture and railings.
The ministry recently submitted an application for the potential EU co-financing of these restoration and rehabilitation works of the internal parts of the Cittadella as recommended by the plan.
In addition, a €7 million project co-financed under this same Priority Axis and Operational Programme involving the restoration of the Cittadella fortification walls and the stability of the underlying bedrock is currently underway.
The Cittadella restoration and rehabilitation project is one of the actions included in the Eco-Gozo Action Plan for 2010-2012.