Frustrated by the constant barrage of stories about land being taken for development, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar has decided to put its money where its mouth is and buy or lease land in Pembroke.

"We are doing this in a desperate bid to preserve it for posterity," an FAA spokesman told the Times of Malta.

"We decided it was time to act. FAA has been granted planning permission to grow a hedge round the site in Pembroke to retain it as a natural park. We are waiting for the Lands Authority to indicate under what terms we can lease or buy the site. Our intention is to have 100% public access, 100% of the time, for posterity," she said.

The plot measures around 25,000 square metres, and stretches from the edge of the residential area on Triq il-Mediterran to the paved pathway.

"It is extremely sad that we, as a voluntary organisation, would have to pay for land which is public to remain so, but we are ready to do it from our very limited resources, so that at least a little patch of land will remain permanently in public use, for public enjoyment for free."

The NGO said practically every week another chunk of land is being given away to developers or bought up by private commercial interests.

Public open spaces are being taken away every day - such as the "shameful" Is-Suq decision - where a space which was pledged for a social and cultural purpose has now been "transmogrified to yet another guzzle, gorge and pay place".