A site in Naxxar at the centre of a controversy over the removal of soil, is still protected but does not appear on the list of natural heritage areas.
The Archaeological Society Malta and Din l-Art Ħelwa insisted this week that a request to remove the soil from a plot in Tal-Wej with archaeological interest, possibly dating back to Roman times, should not even be considered.
The site had been included in an area scheduled for archaeological and ecological importance in 2011.
However, it did not appear among the listed natural heritage areas illustrated on the publicly available Planning Authority geoserver, the two NGOs pointed out.
A PA spokesman told the Times of Malta the list of natural heritage areas was compiled by the Malta University Services in the 1990s after being commissioned by the PA to be used in the drafting of local plans.
These consisted of primary indicative surveys and were subject to more scrutiny and confirmation when an area was being studied for proposed scheduling, he noted, adding that any scheduling approved by the PA board or council prevailed over this or other similar lists.
“Although the area in question was not included in the 1990 list of natural heritage areas, the authority, in 2011, included the site as part of the scheduled area, as level two area of ecological importance and site of scientific importance and within the area of archaeological importance,” the spokes-man said. The site remained protected (scheduled), he insisted.
The two NGOs are appealing to the PA to recommend rejecting the request to study the soil. Those interested have until February 9 to officially object to the application.
Meanwhile, social media users raised the alarm on Facebook about a 29,600-square foot plot “just outside the building scheme” in San Pawl tat-Tarġa, which, they said, was being sold for €1.8 million.
The property website where the plot was being advertising until Wednesday, when it was removed, said it was “an investment opportunity since it is adjacent to scheme with plans to be in rationalisation for development of terraced houses and villas”.
A reader who alerted this newspaper to the case wondered if it was the same plot awaiting the go-ahead for investigation.