Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546020
7 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 31 JULY 2026 NEWS DIN l-Art Ħelwa Għawdex has welcomed the Planning Authority's decision to halt a proposed hotel development at the former British barracks at Busbesija, Mosta, but says the ruling exposes an inconsisten- cy in the way Malta's heritage authorities apply conservation policy. In a statement, the NGO said the decision by the Planning Authority and the Superin- tendence of Cultural Heritage to protect the Second World War-era barracks represents "a positive application of heritage policy", recognising the cultural and architectural value of mili- tary structures. However, Din l-Art Ħelwa argued that the authorities had adopted a contradictory approach in Gozo by recom- mending the demolition of the Victorian British barracks within Fort Chambray. The NGO said heritage pro- tection "cannot be applied selectively", insisting that all historic structures should be assessed fairly and consistently on their individual merits. It described the Fort Cham- bray barracks, built between 1895 and 1903, as the only sur- viving British barracks of their kind in Gozo, the oldest sur- viving British married quarters in Malta and among the earli- est in the Commonwealth. Lo- cated within the 18th-century fortress built by the Knights of St John, the buildings illustrate the site's military evolution over several centuries, it said. Din l-Art Ħelwa questioned how the authorities could justi- fy protecting the Busbesija bar- racks while allowing the demo- lition of what it described as a rarer and more significant mili- tary complex at Fort Chambray. The NGO argued that such contrasting decisions under- mine public confidence in the planning and heritage protec- tion system and raise questions over whether conservation pol- icies are being applied consist- ently. It also cited Malta's obligations under the Granada Convention for the Protection of the Archi- tectural Heritage of Europe and the Valletta Convention on the Protection of the Archaeologi- cal Heritage, arguing that both require the state to safeguard heritage and prevent its unnec- essary destruction. Din l-Art Ħelwa further noted that Europa Nostra has recog- nised the European significance of the Fort Chambray barracks and has called for them to be scheduled as a Grade 1 monu- ment. The NGO insisted that herit- age protection should be based on a site's significance, authen- ticity and public interest rath- er than development pressures or commercial considerations, arguing that if the Busbesija barracks warrant preservation, "the case for the full protection of the Fort Chambray British Barracks is unquestionably stronger". Busbesija decision exposes 'double standard' over Gozo's Fort Chambray, NGO says Fort Chambray (Photo: Din l-Art Helwa Ghawdex) CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 The criticism also focused on the removal of 54 ducks and ducklings from the ar- ea, with the advocate ques- tioning why the animals had been taken away and claim- ing the decision lacked jus- tification. However, Għajnsielem major Kevin Cauchi de- fended the council's actions and said it had launched an adoption drive after the duck population at in Għa- jnsielem grew beyond what the site could reasonably support. "The feral ducks have been there for the last 15 years and we never had issues with water of the pond," Cauchi said, adding that al- though the pond does not have a filtration system, its water is changed regularly. The mayor said the coun- cil did not have the resourc- es to maintain what would effectively become an ani- mal park, but insisted it had invested in animal welfare initiatives, including cat houses around the village, a neutering programme and the services of an animal steward. On the issue of the miss- ing ducks, Cauchi said the council had been informed about the increasing duck population and decided that action was necessary be- cause of the limited size of the area. "Since the area is small and population of ducks must be kept under control, we issued a campaign for pub- lic adoption drive and they were all re-homed," he said. The council has also raised concerns about the growing number of feral chickens in Għajnsielem, saying resi- dents had complained about chickens roaming streets and that it had not received sufficient assistance in ad- dressing the issue. Council says it does not have the resources to maintain what would 'effectively become an animal park' Inset: Mayor Kevin Cauchi said the council had been informed about the increasing duck population and decided that action was necessary because of the limited size of the area