Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar has expressed concern at the way old houses were being demolished to make space for new buildings.
A row of old houses in Msida was recently knocked down and the demolition of buildings in a large area in Cospicua was planned to make room for a social housing project.
FAA said though the houses in Msida suffered seasonal flooding, this was due to be solved by a flood relief project. It suggested the old stone be recycled rather than discarded as the clearance was contravening basic EU regulations on disposal of construction waste. Developers were obliged to separate stone from iron pipes and building hardware before dumping.
Dust prevention measures set out in the Environmental Management of Construction Site regulations were also being ignored, FAA said.
It said although the Housing Authority had promised some years ago to rehabilitate old buildings rather than build new stock, whole areas were being demolished to make way for new projects.
“With over 76,000 empty units available, is it not possible to come up with other solutions rather than the wholesale destruction of a neighbourhood that is ripe for rehabilitation as a heritage area that would provide urban core housing and enhance Malta’s touristic potential?”
FAA said architectural restoration using traditional Maltese building and finishing skills should be undertaken by Maltese workers in order to foster local expertise and conserve traditional embellishment methods.
It complained about the large amounts of dust residents had to endure, asking whether heightened levels of air pollution would once again be blamed on Sahara dust.