Rose Busietta stated that development of nos. 9 and 10 Dingli Street Sliema should be allowed (October 27) I would like to point out that the term "village core" is layman's language for the technical jargon "Urban Conservation Area" and as such refers to the old hub of any of Malta's towns and villages including Sliema, and is not limited to the winding village lanes Ms Busietta mentions.
As for Ms Busietta's claims that the houses at 9 and 10 Dingli Street can be built up to seven storeys because the road is wide, I have to point out that it is not the width of the road that is at issue.
These houses were built by the eminent architect Gustavo Vincenti and with houses of this calibre a great deal of attention was paid not only to houses' design but also to the harmonious proportions of the structure as well as to the integration of the house into the streetscape.
Mepa also highlighted the fact that the fine interior of the house is worthy of preservation. It is these aspects of the houses that will be destroyed by building a six or seven storey block behind a hollow façade.
Building high blocks of flats in rows of two-storey houses also ruins the present streetscape, and has contributed greatly to the uglification of Malta.
Ms Busietta accuses FAA of getting carried away by its enthusiasm in stating the that the building is almost Grade 1 quality (which is equivalent to a national monument), however FAA was merely quoting Mepa's heritage consultants.
She claims that it is better "to have these houses developed and so prevent these 'national monuments' from further deterioration". Since when does preservation of a monument depend on it being developed?
The development-at-all-costs lobby is constantly trying to give the impression that in the case of old houses development or ruination are the only options, but who is stopping them from selling the property for its original use, as a fine townhouse? Leading estate agents assure us that this is one of their strongest market segments, with properties often not even being advertised they get snapped up so fast. Therefore what is preventing people like Mrs. Busietta from choosing this option? Could it be that she is so insensitive to beauty that she is prepared to sacrifice a beautiful house like that for a few extra thousands of developer money?
Ms Busietta closes with insidious claims about FAA members' integrity, however she would be interested to know that FAA founder member Helen Caruana Galizia lost many thousands of liri in having her house, Villa Alhambra in Rudolph Street, Sliema, scheduled prior to selling it, in order to guarantee that it was not tampered with or demolished.
Other members have gone to great lengths to restore their old properties when they could have developed. Ms Busietta has only to consider how FAA Committee members have sacrificed thousands in potential earnings, in order to work for hours a day without receiving a cent in remuneration.
FAA is also the only Heritage NGO that has been pressing the authorities for the activation of the Heritage Fund which was established in 1990 in order to give owners financial assistance to restore heritage properties. Unfortunately after 18 years this fund is still dormant.
Ms Busietta's energies would be far better spent in pressing for realisation of this fund.