Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1445886
NEWS 4 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 26 JANUARY 2022 JAMES DEBONO BIRDLIFE Malta has described the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA)'s go-ahead for the development of the Marsax- lokk council offices on 900sq.m of public school garden grounds as "unacceptable" and the pro- posed development as a "moral crime". The NGO warned that the Authority's "weak position on this project" could give the green light to the Planning Authority to accept a devel- opment which will destroy the "urban open space enjoyed by Marsaxlokk school students and residents". Last week MaltaToday had revealed that Malta's environ- mental protection watchdog had told the Planning Author- ity that it will not be objecting to the development of local council offices in the Marsax- lokk school garden, as long as additional trees are planted to compensate for those which will be lost. In its submission to the Plan- ning Authority, the ERA ac- knowledged the concerns with on the uptake of part of an ur- ban open space, but said the development was intended as a community facility inside a committed development zone. But BirdLife was not im- pressed by ERA's reasoning. While recognising that the school garden is within a devel- opment zone and the trees are not legally protected, "this does not make this project ethically or morally right". BirdLife CEO Mark Sultana said justifying the uprooting of old trees with a request to re- place them in other urban area is "ridiculous". "The value of the trees to the children's health, well-being and academic achievement cannot be uprooted and trans- planted. There is no compen- sation that can ever be paid to the Marsaxlokk children and school staff for the loss of the countless benefits the garden is providing," Sultana said. The NGO also called on the Marsaxlokk local council to "dig deep to find their soul and remember why they ultimately exist; to work for the benefit of the community and for the wellbeing of the residents". Al- lowing this project to go ahead according to Birdlife "is noth- ing short of a moral crime". The Marsaxlokk local coun- cil wants to build a community centre on 920sq.m of garden space in the locality's primary school, that will impact a num- ber of trees. The planning application foresees the "transplanting" of 37 olive trees, cypress trees, pomegranate trees, Judas trees and pecan nut trees. The community centre will have three storeys, to house the local council, a social security office, a post office, a library and a public hall. A receded top storey will host a roof garden with benches. The council approved the project with three votes to two, the latter being that of PN BirdLife hits out at 'moral crime' after ERA endorses offices in Marsaxlokk school garden Village festas 'could take place' in summer