I fully support the call by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna for the government to take on the pedestrianisation of the area in front of Auberge de Castille and the landscaping of the whole square. The exercise, to be truly effective, has to include also the removal of the remaining trees in Castille Place as well as those in front of St John's Cathedral, Palace Square and Great Siege Square, which are all obstructing the view of the capital's most important architectural treasures.
These trees were haphazardly planted mostly in the last century without taking into consideration their harmful effects and the damage they would cause to ancient buildings once they had grown to outsize proportions in restricted spaces, obstructing the view of important monuments and palaces, dirtying the area, and generally impeding proper improvement and revival of these places. In old cities and towns around the world it would be unthinkable for planners to include the planting of trees with the potential of excessive growth in front of monuments of great architectural and historical importance, more so if in the original plans such incursions were never part of the designer's objectives.
I would say that equally out of place are the trees planted in front of bastions which destroy the visual impact of the line of fortifications around walled cities. I have in mind the trees in St James Ditch, St John's Cavalier, and in the ditch running below St Michael's and St John's Bastions. These latter two sites are only providing space for dumping of unwanted material under the large trees that populate them. Bastions should be left unobstructed and their linear integrity untouched.
Similar bastions to those in Valletta, such as those at Rhodes, have retained their unique impact because they were left in their state of originality without undesirable intrusions.
On the other hand, I fully support the drive by local councils and the authorities concerned to embellish and rehabilitate the gardens in Valletta such as those at the Upper and Lower Barrakka and Hastings Garden. This is what I call good planning providing for a healthy and pleasant environment for both the citizens and the visitors in the capital city in spaces that are open and accessible to all.