The area around Gozo's last surviving Roman catacombs has been spared from development after the Planning Authority revoked planning permission for a two-storey house.

The Paleochristian hypogea, known as Għar Għerduf, in Kerċem, recently came under threat after a permit was granted in January for a two-storey house on Triq Ta’Xuxa, within the protected heritage area in front of the catacombs.

The Planning Board today voted unanimously to revoke the permit due to an error on the data record, after it emerged that the archaeological classification of the site had been wrongly stated when the application was being processed.

Government records show that the site of Għar Għerduf and its 100m buffer zone were protected as a Class A category in October 2000, but the Planning Directorate instead assessed the site as a Class B archaeological area.

The same discrepancy appears on the PA’s online system which is used by the directorate when assessing planning applications.

During today’s hearing, the applicant’s representatives argued that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage had assessed the proposal and, irrespective of the error, raised no objection to the proposal. The SCH had not replied when consulted by the PA, which is taken no mean there are no objections.

Johann Buttigieg, chairman of the PA executive council, said the project architect would have been aware of the erroneous classification, and had done a “disservice” to the board by not raising the issue before the permit was decided.

News of the development last week was met by protests and Wirt Għawdex told this newspaper it would be increasing pressure on the authorities in a bid to save the catacombs.

In a letter to this newspaper, Mario Buhagiar, from the University’s Department of History of Art, said the site in Kerċem was a vitally important archaeological zone and any disturbance, unless for research purposes, “will be an unpardonable crime against Malta’s much-vaunted cultural heritage”.

Prof. Buhagiar added that the catacombs at Għar Għerduf were of “crucial importance” to the country’s late Roman and early Christian history and merited careful preservation.

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