Wirt Għawdex is protesting demolitions in old Victoria.

A heritage NGO is warning that permission to pull down old buildings in the Gozitan capital is either being handed out freely or the conditions imposed by the Planning Authority are being abused.

Wirt Għawdex said it had written to the PA and Superintendence of Cultural Heritage to express its “grave concern” about the “uncontrolled spree” of development in the centre of Victoria, which is rapidly changing the characteristics of the core of the old part of town.

While the NGO noted there was a sustained move by people to reuse old and derelict buildings in the core of the city, it felt that “either permissions are being given freely for individuals to dismantle old buildings and build new ones or else the conditions imposed by the PA are being abusively flouted”.

In its statement it insisted it was never against development as long as it was carried out in a “controlled manner and in total respect” for the area.

There are scores of pending development applications, with at least three for the demolition of old buildings in the core of Victoria, which if granted would continue to destroy the original fabric of the old town of Gozo. In a few years it would no longer have anything ‘historic’ and instead there would be new three-storey buildings lining narrow and winding streets, the NGO added.

Wirt Għawdex commented that the superintendence’s “sacrosanct duty” was to safeguard heritage above all other interests. “Until some years ago, applications for the development of properties in village cores were treated with maximum reserve – something which seems to be missing when considering the applications nowadays.

“Wirt Għawdex strongly feels that not enough monitoring is done once the application is approved and work starts,” it said, adding that monitoring during the whole development process needed to be much stricter in locations such as old Victoria, even when the application indicated only minor alterations.

Unfortunately, “minor” works sometimes “morphed” into much more intensive works or even demolition of the building without permission being obtained, the NGO said.

Wirt Għawdex reminded the two authorities of their obligations to safeguard heritage, which took thousands of years to be formed but could quickly disappear under the “uncontrolled manoeuvres” of bulldozers and jackhammers.

“Turning a blind eye to such uncontrolled development will make the authorities partners in the destruction of our heritage.”