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Emergency conservation order issued for ‘Sliema Gate’
Resources Ministry urges Environment Authority to issue an emergency conservation order for an arch built in 1796 due to it being in danger of damage or collapse.
16 June 2012, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
1 min read
More popularly known as 'Sliema Gate', the arch is in danger of damage or collapse.
Upon insistence of the Resources Ministry, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority has issued an emergency conservation order for an arch situated at Msida Road, near Rue D'Argens.
Posting the picture of the arch on his Facebook wall, Resources Minister George Pullicino said that the arch, built in 1796 by Baron Testaferrata, couldn't be restored by government since it was built on private land.
"However, we insisted that MEPA issues an emergency conservation order according to the law. The conservation order was published yesterday in the Government Gazette," Pullicino wrote.
Last year, the Sliema Heritage Society (SHS) had raised the alarm that the arch would soon be on the point of collapse due to neglect.
According to the SHS, the arch was constructed when the road from Msida to Sliema was widened. Owners of the surrounding estates, the arch carried the coat-of-arms of the Testaferrata family.
The heritage society that the structure was said to have been dismantled and relocated to its current position to accommodate further infrastructural improvements, sometime during the last century.
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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Not only was it left to fall into a dangerous condition which may kill someone if it were to collapse, but to add insult to injury there are waste skips to the left which are not seen in the photograph. Disgusting state of affairs which is only noticed because we are not that far from a general election.
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".....built in 1796 ..." and George Pulicino has been a minister for how many years? His minitery only now finds it necessary to issue an emergency conservation order. What a mucked up ministry and to think that the minister hails from Sliema. God save us Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.
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Maybe somebody should decide that it actually would be in the public and national interest for the small piece of land on which this arch is built to be requisitioned by the Government ... and then restored by Heritage Malta or who knows even by the Resources Ministry itself!!!
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Actually this Gate in in Gzira the one by the Mizzi showroom which is falling to pieces and a dump site. Whoever is responsible should restore it before it is too late!
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Same here in Gzira the one by the Mizzi showroom is falling to pieces and a dump site. Whoever is responsible should restore it before it is too late!
