Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1528582
7 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 OCTOBER 2024 RESIDENTS from Swieqi and St Julians joined representatives from their local councils and 11 NGOs at St George's Bay on Sat- urday to protest against the Villa Rosa project. Protestors insisted amend- ments to the local plan for the site were intended to accom- modate a massive construction project. Azzjoni, Tuna Artna Lura, BirdLife Malta, Din l-Art Ħel- wa, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħ- jar, Friends of the Earth Malta, Għawdix, Moviment Graffitti, Nature Trust Malta, Ramblers' Association Malta, The Ar- chaeological Society Malta and Wirt Għawdex, together with the Swieqi and St Julian's local councils took part in the pro- test. Residents were also joined by independent candidate Ar- nold Cassola; PN MPs Karol Aquilina, Albert Buttigieg, Re- bekah Borg, Graham Bencini and Stanley Zammit; ADPD chairperson Sandra Gauci; and former Labour MEP Cyrus En- gerer. Representatives from Pem- broke's local council, which has a Labour majority, opted not to attend. "First, we denounce the in- sult to the public's intelligence from the Prime Minister's and government's claims that this is merely a 'consultation phase'," said Graffitti's Andre Callus. "It is clear that no one is naive enough to believe such a statement." The planned development consisted entirely of short let apartments, not residential units, attendees were told. Callus could not but note the contrast between the ongoing, years-long, wait for the prom- ised reform of the planning ap- peals process that would sus- pend challenged construction works until an appeal is decid- ed, with the government's ex- peditious treatment of the Villa Rosa project. "When Tal-Franciz went to the ministers, they scrambled to change the applicable poli- cies. This is clear proof that our politicians are servants to de- velopers and we have become a kingdom of developers with politicians in their pockets," he charged, calling it an affront to democracy and promising that the "people will fight back". "It is alarming and a direct threat to our democracy that business interests, operating behind the scenes, dictate the laws and regulations of our country. Discussions of 'brands' and 'tourists' amid the ongoing over development, commer- cialisation of spaces, and un- checked economic activity are hollow attempts to sugar coat the latest act of blatant greed imposed on the public by de- velopers and enabled by the government," Callus said. Plans to revise the area's lo- cal plan had evidently "been triggered by instructions from [developer Anton Camilleri, known by his nickname] Tal- Franċiż, with the sole aim of enabling the construction of a mammoth project," Callus said, adding that the fact that the revision process began af- ter the developer held meetings with the authorities was not a coincidence. "There was no consultation at all," St Julian's deputy mayor Shaun Gauci said, telling pro- testors that the local council had only found out about the project from the news. Gauci questioned whether the change to the local plan bene- fited the residents or someone else. "This government appears to have already taken its decision and has done so in secret." The recent developments sur- rounding Villa Rosa appear to have a longer history. Callus noted that in its sub- mission to the Planning Tri- bunal (EPRT), the Planning Authority stated, "in black and white, that when approv- ing application PA/2478/16, it disregarded key limitations set by the local plan by irregularly approving several more storeys and levels, across the different buildings, than permitted by the local plan". Moreover, he added, the PA also approved a hotel at Cresta Quay, where such development is not al- lowed, among other irregular- ities. "Therefore, the developer's claim of already possessing a development permit actual- ly refers to a permit that was issued in violation of current laws. Following this approval, Tal-Franċiż submitted a new application for a much larger project (PA/07254/22), leading to the current revision of the local plan," Callus said. The protestors accused the government and its authorities of consistently "bending over backwards" to accommodate developers. "No amount of PR can hide the fact that the proposed Villa Rosa development will be dis- astrous for the environment and quality of life, as shown by the Environmental Impact As- sessment commissioned by the developer himself," Callus said. Astrid Vella from Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar said gov- ernment and its authorities were sacrificing the physical and mental health of 30,000 people. "They stabbed us in the back. The people and residents… Not only are we not Malta Tagħna lkoll, but Malta Biss tal-Iżvi- luppaturi," she said. Protest against Villa Rosa project: 'People will fight back… it is an affront to democracy' 'They stabbed us in the back... Not only are we not Malta Tagħna lkoll, but Malta Biss Tal- Iżviluppaturi' - Astrid Vella, Flimkien Għal Ambjent Aħjar MATTHEW AGIUS magius@mediatoday.com.mt Clockwise from above: Andre Callus, Noel Muscat and Patrick Calleja addressing protesters