The Planning Authority is set to decide on an application for an apartment block in an ODZ area of Żebbuġ, Gozo, weeks after sanctioning illegal construction a few hundred metres away.

The application, which will be heard on November 2, seeks to build a four-storey block of flats on the Żebbuġ ridge, an area of high landscape and ecological value, with the majority of the development on agricultural fields below the cliffs.

The beauty of this valley and the sanctity it offers outweighs the monetary opportunities sought by the developers

Because of its position on the ridge, the Planning Directorate, which has recommended that the proposal be refused, said the building would be highly visible from both close and distant viewpoints.

There have been more than 60 objections to the proposal by residents and environmental NGOs, with the Environment and Resources Authority also objecting due to the loss of undeveloped land and traditional rural features, as well as the impact on views from the surrounding countryside.

The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, meanwhile, has warned of the negative impact on the village skyline.

Residents have argued that the development will harm the natural environment and set a precedent for further development in the valley.

“This, if allowed to happen, will not only be detrimental to all residents, but also visitors and tourists, as the natural beauty of the valley will be destroyed,” one wrote.

“The beauty of this valley and the sanctity it offers outweighs the monetary opportunities sought by the developers.”

They have also noted that access to the proposed development is limited to a single narrow alley.

The Żebbuġ local council, Nature Trust, Din L-Art Ħelwa and Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar are all among the objectors.

The proposed site is around 300 metres from the grounds of the Ħal-Sagħtrija residential complex.