A scheduled, archaeological zone in Howard Gardens is being excavated for a karozzin stand, the environmental organisation Flimkien għal Ambjent Ahjar said today as it expressed concern at the development.

However the government in a statement later said no areas of archaeological importance have been affected. 

Addressing a news conference this morning, FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said that because of the importance of the site, the application should have gone through the full planning process. 

Alternattiva Demokratika deputy chairman Carmel Cacopardo said no public consultation had been carried out as the planning authority accepted that the Development Notification Order process was used instead of the normal, full application process.

This deprived Mdina and Rabat residents, as well as NGOs, of the opportunity to take part in the decision-making process.

“Wwen viewed together with the fact that the electronic information on the case was mysteriously absent from the Mepa website, one inevitably concludes that the process was wilfully sabotaged,” he said.

Environmentalist Alfred E Baldacchino expressed outrage at the permits the authority was granting and the fact that it was failing to take action on other damage to heritage in the Rabat area.

"Mepa is the worst enemy of society and the environment,” he said.

GOVERNMENT EXPLAINS

In a reaction, the government said all works are being supervised full time by an archaeologist and the works so far did not impact anything of archaeological importance. The ground works carried out to date are all in previously-disturbed ground.

The government explained that this project forms part of a much wider project which was implemented in Mdina over the past five years, including the consolidation of the Mdina fortifications and the restoration of the whole perimeter of bastion walls of the Old Capital.

Part of the project addressed the improvement of the tourism product through an upgrade the amenities at the entrance of Mdina.

As a result, rusty and dangerous railings overlooking the Mdina Ditch were recently replaced.

A shelter for horses is being set up up just outside Mdina Gate, doing away with the horse stench just outside Mdina.

All works are covered by the necessary permits.

"The horse cabs shelter project was first approved in PA2147/10, which permit is still valid, and was located in the adjacent parking area. The DNO process merely shifted the location to the fringe of Howard Gardens, thus avoiding the loss of parking which is already very critical in the area."