Protected wild orchids found in Mellieha family park site

Now that works have already started, the council is seeking a permit to re-locate the plants elsewhere.

Anacamptis urvilleana is an orchid which grows in garigue and blossoms from February to April. Better known as the Maltese Pyramidal Orchid, it resembles the common Pyramidal Orchid found in other parts of the world, but has smaller and paler pink or white flowers, which make it unique.

The plant – which is protected by the European Unions’ Habitats Directive – grows on the site of the proposed recreational park. But both MEPA and the Mellieha council claim that they were not aware of the presence of the plant when the project was approved.

The park, which includes various sports facilities, was deemed to respect and integrate well with the rural environment by MEPA which approved it in January following positive recommendations by the case officer, the Environment Protection Department and the Heritage Advisory Committee.

Replying to a parliamentary question by Labour MP Evarist Bartolo, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi replied that the existence of this species on the site was only reported to MEPA after the family park was approved.

According to Gonzi, the Mellieha council has applied for a “derogation” to allow it to relocate the plant elsewhere “if this is the only means to protect it.”

When contacted, Mellieħa mayor Robert Cutajar made it clear that the Local Council was unaware of the occurrence of this plant species in the area.

“Nevertheless, when the council became aware of its occurrence,  we applied with MEPA for a permit ‘to handle’ the plant within the project boundary.”

When asked where the plant will be re-located, he replied: “The council will be guided by the conditions which MEPA may wish to impose.”
In his question, Bartolo claimed that a number of protected plants have already been uprooted from the site.

But in his reply, Gonzi made it clear that MEPA does not have any evidence or information that any plant has been uprooted from the site.

The mayor was also categorical in stating that the “Mellieħa Local Council has not uprooted any plants during works for the proposed park.” 

The mayor also made it clear that the project had been anonymously approved by the council. The 31,320 metre square family park is located on the road leading from the entrance of Mellieha to Selmun, and will include sports facilities such as a running track, bicycle lanes, a basketball pitch, a BMX track and a skateboard track as well as extensive landscaping, underground changing rooms and water reservoirs.

Previous permits had already committed the area for an afforestation project.

MEPA’s Environment Protection Department had no objection to the development since it was deemed to “improve the rural environment while protecting its integrity.”

The permit stipulates that any soil removed because of the development has to be reused within the site and that all legally protected trees found on site have to be safeguarded.  

No turf can be introduced in the site and strict limits have been imposed on light pollution. The permit allows the dismantling of some rubble walls in the area, but all stones have to be reused in building rubble walls on the same site.