Last week the Planning Authority announced that it has protected Villa Barbaro in Attard by Grade 1 scheduling. Much as one would like to, can one celebrate fiddling while Rome burns?
The PA has protected a heritage building that is not at any risk of being destroyed, in order to make us believe it’s doing something to save heritage, and distract us from the many properties at risk. It is no coincidence that Villa St Ignatius at St Julian’s, the Officers’ Mess at Tigné, and the Annibale Preca property in Lija have not been scheduled – developers have plans for all of them.
Yet instead of treating them with urgency and imposing Emergency Conservation Orders created specifically to save properties under threat of destruction, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Planning Authority create excuses as to why they can’t schedule them, giving their developer cronies the chance to move in with bulldozers.
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) had campaigned for the strengthening of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage; in fact between 2014 and 2018 the Superintendence payroll rose from €350,000 to €600,000 and it now employs 16. Still it claims it can’t cope; phone calls go un-answered and e-mails bounce back because of full inboxes.
Yet the Superintendence wastes time sending its inspectors not once but twice to an Għaxaq garden which is going to be restored in its entirety, while failing to submit its report on Palazzo Giannin where essential Baroque features are to be destroyed in order to fill most of the garden with 30 flats. Does such preferential treatment indicate a foregone favourable decision to a powerful architect?
Ħal Għaxaq used to boast several heritage gardens – today only two of these precious lungs remain, so the Local Plans called for their scheduling in 2005, identifying them as essential to the cultural heritage and touristic future of Għaxaq. They were finally scheduled at FAA’s insistence in 2013 yet the Planning Authority is processing an application that would destroy that scheduling while the Superintendence is ignoring all entreaties to speak up!
Għaxaq is one of Malta’s few villages that still retains its traditional character thanks to its fine old palazzos and traditional houses that rise to two-three floors. The Palazzo Giannin apartment blocks are set to rise seven storeys, creating an eyesore that will ruin the traditional skyline and obliterate the view of the parish church, besides destroying this beautiful garden and most of its ancient trees.
Many inside the Planning Authority and the Superintendence are very upset at their puppet leaders’ refusal to take action. It is the height of hypocrisy for the Planning Authority to organise a conference on planning for liveable urban spaces, yet at the same time facilitate the destruction of the very heritage spaces that make our towns and villages liveable.