Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543837
12 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 11 MARCH 2026 NEWS ERA slams proposed development at protected Bahrija cliffs THE Environment and Resourc- es Authority (ERA) has issued a scathing objection to a devel- opment application at Ras ir- Raħeb in Baħrija, warning that the proposal threatens a highly sensitive Natura 2000 site, while reporting various illegalities in- cluding uprooting of protected shrubs on the site, following an inspection. The application (PA/00495/26), proposes several interventions on a field located atop the Rabat cliffs. The applicant is seeking permission for the construction of rubble walls, an agricultural store, an underground reservoir, two gates and the formalisation of a passageway. However, in a formal commu- nication to the Planning Author- ity (PA), ERA officials warned that the site is not suitable for agriculture. They also described the site as an area characterised by "scenic beauty" and a "rare rural landscape" that remains predominantly free from devel- opment. The location is of internation- al ecological significance, fall- ing within the Natura 2000 site Rdumijiet ta' Malta: Ir-Ram- la taċ-Ċirkewwa sal-Ponta ta' Bengħisa and a designated Spe- cial Protection Area. It is also protected as an Area of Ecolog- ical Importance and an Area of High Landscape Value. Officials argue that if approved the development would lead to significant changes in the ar- ea's topography and have a det- rimental visual impact on the openness of the cliffside. Most alarmingly, the authority said the project would result in land and habitat fragmentation and the degradation of protected habitats. A recent site visit by ERA offi- cials revealed that significant en- vironmental damage has already been inflicted. The authority confirmed the unauthorised removal of a protected "pseu- do-steppe" habitat, for which the area was specifically designated for protection. The pseudo-steppe habitat is a grass-dominated ecosystem characterised by, annual grasses and herbs and open grassland with seasonal plants. In the EU's Natura 2000 clas- sification, this habitat is consid- ered a priority habitat because it is rare and ecologically valuable. In Malta it is relatively uncom- mon and usually occurs on thin soils on plateaus or slopes. Inspectors also noted engi- neering works that have already modified the landscape, includ- ing the creation of a ramp and the displacement of material. ERA also raised strong objec- tions to the site's intended use for agriculture. While the plans do not explicitly propose soil deposition on the protected land, the authority expressed concern that the natural geogra- phy of the area is fundamentally unsuited for farming. The authority pointed out that the presence of a small freshwa- ter stream, a soil slip scar and exposed rock would make any attempt at agricultural mainte- nance impossible without "reg- ular heavy engineering inter- ventions." Such intensive works, ERA said, would be incompat- ible with the conservation of a protected ecological zone. Development would encroach on coastal trail The development could also affect public access. ERA noted that the proposed interventions would encroach on the existing coastal trail, potentially forcing hikers onto a precarious path at the "very edge of the cliffs" or re- quiring the creation of new foot- paths elsewhere. In its conclusion, ERA said the proposal is "objectionable from an environmental point of view." Beyond rejecting the current ap- plication, the authority is also calling for the site to be reinstat- ed to its original state to reverse the damage caused by unauthor- ised works. The screening, conducted un- der the Flora, Fauna and Natural Habitats Protection Regulations, concluded that the proposal is unsustainable within such a deli- cate ecosystem. The proposal is being made by site owner Joson Michael Aqui- lina who is a registered farmer. But the PA's advisory panel on agriculture noted that the appli- cant is not in possession of suf- ficient arable holdings to justify the new store and that no proof of agricultural activity has been submitted. Din l-Art Helwa and the Ramblers Association are al- so objecting. Authority warns proposal would damage Natura 2000 site at Ras ir-Raħeb and calls for reinstatement of land following alleged illegal works JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt Photos from ERA's dossier on the site including areas where vegetation has already been uprooted