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James Debono
In a few years’ time, laments heritage enthusiast Steve Borg, there might be no carob trees left at the eponymous Tal-Harrub area in Marsaskala.
Mourning the end of the 200-year evolution of a carob tree, which takes two centuries to form the underlying girth that sustains the ecosystem, Borg, who hails from Marsaskala, fears the worst for the rustic enclave that is home to 50 centenarian carob trees.
“Will this be another case of having a place name to remind us of what was there before?” Nature Trust had asked the chairman of the Malta Environment and Planning Authority Andrew Calleja back in June 2005 when it requested the removal of this site from the 1988 building schemes.
But Tal-Harrub, which also includes a concentration of hand-cut World War II shelters, has not been excluded from the development schemes proposed by MEPA despite requests by Nature Trust and Moviment Favur il-Wied tal-Maghluq.
The area, which lies next to Palazzo Apap Bologna, is situated next to the old urban village core of Wied il-Ghajn, in the past having been a distinct area from Marsaskala before more development encroached in between the two villages.
A farmhouse in Sqaq il-Harruba is considered as a prime example of vernacular architecture. But the area has been earmarked for a road aimed at improving the traffic flow, and a number of applications for maisonettes, flats and garages have cropped up during the past few years.
On 1 June 2006, just a few days after the government announced its rationalisation of the development zones, MEPA approved one of these permits, further frustrating environmentalists who would like to see this area struck off from development zones once and for all.
Steve Borg points out that the area had been earmarked for development in 1988, prior to the establishment of the planning authority and other laws protecting trees, nature and the historical heritage.
While MEPA has accepted submissions for the inclusion of more lands in Marsaskala by developers and by the government, submissions by environmental organisations were completely ignored.
The only three areas excluded from development in the new proposed zones are an area in Mellieha belonging to former Nationalist Mayor Joe Borg, who was compensated with new lands in Qortin, an area in Bahrija in Rabat and part of the Kalkara valley. All three areas were excluded at local plan stage.
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the MEPA chairman in June 2005, objecting to development in the area, Nature Trust had asked for removing this area from the development schemes. “The value of the area as a rural part of an otherwise mostly crammed unplanned locality should be realised and given importance in the local plan.”
Nature Trust reminded Calleja that the area holds numerous old carob trees as well as traditional rural structures and rubble walls.
Yet, so far only the first draft of the South Malta Local Plan exists as the government has stepped into MEPA’s shoes by ordering the rationalisation of existing zones through a Cabinet memo, meaning Nature Trust’s submissions are to no avail.
In its comments Nature Trust described Sqaq il-Harrub as a unique green area of interesting and rare rustic qualities that should be preserved, adding that no development and no roads should be allowed “to ruin this last remaining enchanting green space in an otherwise urban jungle.”
MEPA has justified its decision to ignore Nature Trust’s submission by saying the draft South Malta Local Plan issued for public consultation in the summer of 2005, did not propose the exclusion of the indicated area from the development boundary.
“Submissions by NGOs were only received after the draft South Malta Local Plan was issued for public consultation. Therefore, through the provisions of the Cabinet memo, this site was not deemed to qualify for exclusion from the development zone.”
The area is subject to various controversial applications for basement garages, maisonettes, flats and penthouses. One of the permits for the construction of 13 basement garages was granted on 1 June 2005.
The area is also being earmarked for a road aimed at facilitating the traffic flow in the area.
Steve Borg is now spearheading a campaign to protect this last enclave of greenery within what he calls the heart of the old Wied il-Ghajn. According to Borg any development on this site contravenes the Environment Protection Act of 2001 which protects ecological areas, the Cultural Heritage Act of 2002 which protects the World War II shelters, and Legal Notice 12 of 2001 which protects trees and Woodland.
A laconic Borg says that cutting down a carob tree in 1917 meant a heavy fine or imprisonment for the offender. “But that was competent Imperial efficiency, not Don Camillo politics. There is no other option than to declare this area as an Outside Development Zone area with this ‘rationalisation’ process. Otherwise this whole issue becomes a tragic farce.”
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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