A rave party forming part of the four-day Lost and Found festival will today be held outside the protected zone of the Red Tower, in Mellieħa, Times of Malta is informed.
Originally, the rave party, being organised in collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority, was planned to be held at Selmun, however, complaints by residents in the area prompted organisers to seek an alternative location.
Mellieħa mayor John Buttigieg confirmed the change in location, saying the sudden decision was taken earlier this week.
He said that, despite the council not having time to discuss the issue in an official meeting, it consulted Din l-Art Ħelwa, which green-lighted the move.
The Red Tower – officially known as St Agatha's Tower – is one of the heritage sites managed by Din l-Art Ħelwa and underwent extensive restoration in recent years. The area surrounding it is listed in the nationally-designated areas inventory (CDDA), a European register of protected areas.
The structure is a stone's throw away from a number of Natura 2000 sites.
When contacted, a spokeswoman for DLĦ said the move was discussed with the council and the MTA, pointing out that the event would not be hosted inside the tower itself but in the area outside.
“All precautions have been taken for people's safety and for the protection of the environment and strict instructions have been given to the organisers,” the spokeswoman said.
She said the area being used consisted of a “gravel parking area adjacent to the tower” and access would be controlled by a barrier.
The NGO gave its go-ahead because the event was organised with the support of the MTA and because it was a “one-off”, the spokeswoman added.
The Lost and Found event is based in Qawra with a series of parties held at different venues all over the island. Boat parties are also included in the schedule.
The festival's website describes today’s event as a 'Castle Rave' taking place "in an ancient Maltese castle" and is expected to start at noon and go on until 7pm.
This is the second year running the Lost and Found festival is being held in Malta.
Last year, about 8,000 clubbers, mainly from the United Kingdom, descended on Qawra for the music festival, infuriating residents who complained of the mess left behind by “intoxicated” partygoers.