Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1527021
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 25 SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Monumental tree in Valley Road faces the chop NORFOLK Pine Trees are not a protected species and are on- ly granted legal protection when they are 50 years old and located outside development zones. Yet they often serve as ur- ban landmarks towering over nearby buildings and providing shelter for birds. One such tree is in Valley Road next to Villa Cassar, a seemingly unremarkable res- idence a few metres from the bridge that spans the road that leads to Msida. The villa which has no her- itage value is earmarked for a non-controversial project to transform it into a five-storey block consisting of a cater- ing establishment and shops at ground level, 31 overlying apartments and a basement ga- rage for 14 cars. But plans suggest that the Norfolk Pine Tree growing next to the house is at risk of being uprooted. It is estimated that the tree, which rises to nearly 18 metres, the equivalent of a six-storey building, is as old as the villa which predates 1967. A planning application pre- sented in November 2023 states that the development does not include the felling of trees. Subsequent plans failed to refer to the presence of the tree and proposed the excava- tion of the entire site. In June, the Environment and Resources Authority requested a block plan showing the exist- ing trees in the area including, photos of the individual trees which will be "intervened up- on" showing their trunk and foliage. A spokesperson for the Plan- ning Authority confirmed that these documents still must be presented. Subsequently on Saturday a new plan was submitted show- ing the existing basement plan, which for the first time labels the Norfolk Pine Tree while identifying the whole plot of the villa including the tree as being earmarked for demoli- tion. MaltaToday has sought a clarification from the architect of the project but is still await- ing a reply. Heritage activists who on- ly became aware of the threat posed to the tree after the pub- lic consultation process elapsed are appealing to the authorities and the applicant to do their utmost to ensure the tree is retained and protected. They are suggesting the exclusion of the area at one end of the site where the tree is located from excavation and construction. Fate of towering Norfolk Pine Tree located near the Valley Road bridge is unclear in plans for commercial and residential development being proposed instead of a villa Plans suggest that the Norfolk Pine Tree growing next to this villa in Valley Road is at risk of being uprooted AFTER an initial investment of €2.4 million in Maltese produc- tions for its television channel TOKIS in 2022, GO has now confirmed it will be increasing its investment in Maltese pro- duction houses to €5 million over the coming years. This was announced during the first TOKIS awards held last week. This investment aims to con- tinue supporting the produc- tion of original TV content as well as the airing of existing content to be aired by GO, exclusively for its customers through its GO TOKIS plat- form. "Two years ago we had a dream of bringing our stories, our culture and our love for Maltese drama to life. From that dream, TOKIS was born and it's been an incredible journey. Not only for us but for the thousands of custom- ers who love Maltese content," said Nikhil Patil, CEO at GO plc. "Today TOKIS is one of the most viewed channels in Mal- ta with over five million views monthly. It has grown consid- erably and will be viewed and enjoyed by thousands across three continents as the GO TV app will become available to Maltese expats worldwide," he continued. TOKIS immediately start- ed garnering a lot of success because local audiences con- tinued to show a solid affinity for home-grown content and growing appreciation towards local talent and the Maltese language. It has progressed from drama to discussion shows and promises a broader spectrum of content over the coming years. "We are continuously looking at ways of improving our cus- tomers' experience. Our cus- tomers love Maltese content, and we are giving them more of what they enjoy. We also rec- ognised the financial and other resource constraints the in- dustry was facing, limiting the number of dramas that could be produced yearly. We have the technology, the resources, and the demand, so we knew that content had to be the next step in our customer's experi- ence," added Nikhil Patil. "We are very excited for what's coming next," he con- cluded. GO to invest a further €5 million to support Maltese film producers on TOKIS platform Nikhil Patil, CEO at GO plc