Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1506016
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 AUGUST 2023 NEWS MATTHEW VELLA IT was once a sight for sore eyes: the Għeriexem valley straddling the historic town of Rabat and the hilltop settlement of Mtarfa, and once the endpoint for the is- land's railway system. Now it is only a sore sight, in the clutches of unprecedented construction projects and private land-clearing that has shocked neighbours. Private owner Alex Polidano, represented in his development by architect Robert Musumeci, wants a permit to build a farm- house over one floor "since ex- isting rooms collapsed during works." But residents are kicking back against the claim, saying it is un- true that the existing rooms had collapsed during construction works. "A more accurate description of the site would be that of debris and deconstructed rubble walls, with a single water reservoir... this contradicts the accuracy and reliability of the information provided in this application and therefore, calls into question the validity of said application," one resident said. The Rabat council accused the owners of allowing a previous building to deteriorate through dereliction, despite being in- structed in two older permits from 1996 and 2002 to rehabili- tate the rooms. This instruction was also the subject of an en- forcement order from the Plan- ning Authority in 2008, which pointed out that the rooms had been allowed to collapse instead of being restored. The area is the site of a natural spring that provides water supply all year round to the valley, pass- ing under Triq l-Għeriexem into a reservoir used by farmers in the adjacent fields. The reservoir is believed to predate the Knights' era, possibly well before 1500, making it part of Malta's cultural heritage. Residents say Polidano's val- ley farmhouse is in breach of a host of policies: it falls outside the development zones, the area is of high landscape value area, whose natural qualities force the preservation of the unique land- scape and environmental value of Għeriexem value; it is a site close to existing heritage land- marks in Rabat; and crucially the development is not aligned with the SPED (Strategic Planning and Environmental Document) ob- jective to safeguard biodiversity and cultural heritage. The environmental lawyer Claire Bonello, an objector, ar- gues that it is unclear if the re- quest for permit is a renewal of a 2008 permit, reserving the right to make further representations on this permit. The Rabat local council, an ob- jector alongside the Mtarfa coun- cil, presented a petition against the development signed by well over 730 residents. The local council said Wied Għeriexem is the only green pocket left in the area. "It has to be saved from construction," the council said, dubbing the farm- house proposal "unacceptable." "Wied Għeriexem is a natural storm water soakaway, dominat- ed by pockets of agricultural land. Rabat residents are proud of this surrounding greenery, as the site is a relaxing area for adults, children and senior citizens... central government has just in- vested millions of euros to create a promenade for the general pub- lic to appreciate this area of high landscape value." The council added that histor- ical artefacts found during the construction of the Belvedere may be also spread onto this part of the valley outside the walls of Mdina where the farmhouse is being proposed. "These two small rooms had been left to deteriorate on pur- pose and subsequently collapsed. The granting of a new develop- ment permit by the PA will cre- ate a precedent, and by time the entire valley will be lost forever in the midst of a concrete jungle." Moviment Graffitti, also ob- jectors to the proposal, said the permit originally issued in 2008 should not be renewed, but as- sessed from scratch then cate- gorically refused since it clearly breaches both local plan policies and SPED objectives. 1,000 objections "Enough is enough. Stop the madness. Qażżistuna." The over 1,000 objections filed against the Wied Għeriexem mayhem con- tinue to bear witness to the na- tional fatigue over construction, and the largesse of a planning system for permits to controver- sial developments in the country- side. "Let's not ruin the last few spac- es Malta has left to breathe in... from two rooms to a farmhouse, to a guesthouse, possibly a hotel. Is this the way forward?" asks one objector, who rightly points out the contradiction of the Labour administration's urban greening efforts. "All efforts in greening Malta are futile if such an appli- cation gets approved." Locals pointed out the threat that such a development could pose in the future, paving the way for future developments in an area of ecological importance for the locality. "Following the investment made to significantly improve accessibility and walks along the promenade, approving a development in the middle of such a valley would be counter- productive and an eyesore for locals and tourists enjoying the valley and the view it presents." The sentiment is echoed in the hundreds of paragraphs submit- ted in objection at the project. "The granting of a new develop- ment permit will create a prece- dent, and by time the entire valley will be lost forever. Two aban- doned and collapsed rooms can- not suddenly turn into a farm- house for the benefit of the few, and the loss of the many." The objectors said that not on- ly would Rabat and Mtarfa res- idents lose a place for tranquil walks, but it would severely dete- riorate the flora and fauna of the area, polluting some of the most precious watercourses of the is- land, creating other irreversible damage. "Such a development will ruin the Mdina appeal for tourists from the Rabat Belvedere and Mtarfa bypass viewpoints." mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Over 1,000 say no to assault on Rabat's Gheriexem valley Rabat's iconic valley system under attack by construction work and development as private owners clear fields Residents and activists are objecting to the construction of a farmhouse in Rabat's Gheriexem Valley with environmental lawyer Claire Bonello (inset) still unsure whether the permit being requested now is an extension of a previous permit. 'Enough is enough. Stop the madness. Qażżistuna.' The over 1,000 objections filed against the Wied Għeriexem mayhem continue to bear witness to the national fatigue over construction