Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1540360
12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 15 OCTOBER 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt ĠUSTIZZJA 8 YEARS, NO JUSTICE The EPP Group in the European Parliament remains committed to the fight for justice and the rule of law across the European Union. 8 years since the brutal assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, justice is yet to be delivered. Not only against her murderers. But to all those in power - as yet unpunished - who enabled the corruption that she was killed for exposing. Malta deserves justice. - David Casa, MEP Heritage watchdog objects to villa development with basement garages in Xemxija THE Superintendence of Cultur- al Heritage (SCH) has objected to a proposal for the construction of ten semi-detached villas with basement garages in Xemxija, warning that the site lies within a designated Area of Archaeological Importance. The application concerns unde- veloped land at the corner of Triq Raddet ir-Roti and Triq Piscopo Macedonia in Xemxija, within the San Pawl il-Baħar development zone. The proposal envisages the excavation of a single basement level for garages and the construc- tion of pools at ground-floor level. However, the SCH has high- lighted the area's high archae- ological sensitivity, noting its proximity to late Neolithic tombs and cave dwellings located to the north-west of the site, features frequently visited by both tourists and locals. The Superintendence stressed that, since the site forms part of the Xemxija Area of Archaeolog- ical Importance, no rock-cutting works can be permitted due to the significant archaeological poten- tial of the area. Following its assessment of the plans, the SCH concluded that "the current proposal, which in- cludes excavation works for base- ment levels, is not considered ac- ceptable from a cultural heritage perspective." The Superintendence has re- quested an amended proposal that reduces the extent of devel- opment and excludes all rock-cut- ting interventions. While it indi- cated that limited development might be considered closer to the street frontage, it stated that no development would be supported at the higher elevation of the ridge. The SCH added that any devel- opment that may eventually be considered must first be preceded by an archaeological evaluation carried out according to terms of reference to be issued by its office. This study would help guide plan- ning decisions for the area. It further recommended adopt- ing a more sensitive design ap- proach, such as the use of raised platforms, to mitigate the impact on the archaeological landscape. The application was presented by Mauro Magro's FourVC Ltd. It lies across the road from a ma- jor development being proposed by Charles Polidano. So far, Pol- idano's application envisages the creation of a seven-storey car park for 1,800 cars to service a second phase of the development consist- ing of a 12-storey building.