The environmental organisation Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar this morning called on the planning authority not to deschedule a large private garden in residential Ghaxaq.

The garden, which is linked to Villa Giannin was one of the last green lungs in the area which absorbed rain water, FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said.

She said the applicant was arguing the garden held no environmental wealth.

Ms Vella insisted, however, that the trees, many of which were older than 50 years, as well as a large natural pond, provided one of the last green lungs in the area. She urged the government to provide tangible help to property owners to stop the dilapidation of their properties.

Ghaxaq residents are currently signing a petition to stop the authority from descheduling the garden. When a property is descheduled, its protective status is removed.

Ms Vella said that other gardens which also needed to be saved included that attached to Villa Mekrech, also in Ghaxaq and a public garden in Alexandra Street, Qormi.

A decision on the Qormi garden is expected on Friday while that on the Villa Mekrech one is also expected tomorrow

Joining FAA in its conference this morning was Labour MP Marlene Pullicino, who said “it is our responsibility to pass on these gardens to the next generation.”

In the long term, she said, they would add to the country’s value.

Councillor Mario Rizzo Naudi said that having lived in Ghaxaq for several decades he had witnessed the locality become “a large white block of construction”.

AD chairman Arnold Cassola said that after the contentious Mistra development, the PA should take decisions carefully.

“ We live in a country which is the most built up across the EU,” he said.