The Planning Board has today revoked a planning permission it granted last November for a residential development project in Xaghra, Gozo.

The Board noted that “when it had discussed and decided on this application it had been given ‘incorrect information’ on whether the proposed development fell in or outside the proposed UNESCO buffer zone of the Ggantija temples.”

The Board, in a statement on Thursday, said it “had relied on the premise that the proposed development was within an Area of Archaeological importance and that the necessary surveys had been carried out and confirmed that there are no archaeological remains on the site in question.”

The Board also noted that “when it decided on the application it rested on the reassurance it received from the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage (SCH) that it found no objection to the revised and downsized residential project.”The Board also pointed out that “Heritage Malta, who were also consulted on this application had considered the latest drawings to be compatible with the management plan of Ggantija and that the development will not negatively impact the site’s Outstanding Universal Value.”

At today’s hearing the SCH requested that prior to the issuing of development permission for this residential project, a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) should be carried out.

The Board, therefore agreed to revoke the permit and reprocess the application at the stage where the applicant needs to carry out an HIA as requested by UNESCO.

NGOs had filed an appeal to overturn the approval, basing it on the argument that during the hearing held last November, the Planning Directorate together with the developer’s architect “allegedly misled the Planning Board by wrongly insisting that the site was not within the official buffer zone as established for this World Heritage Site.”

In a statement at the time, the NGOs pointed out that “as a signatory to the UNESCO Conventions concerning the Protection of the World Cultural Heritage, Malta is obliged to carry out a Heritage Impact Assessment for any proposal within a UNESCO World Heritage Site buffer zone.”

The project, whose permit has been revoked, included the construction of 20 garages at basement level and 22 overlying apartments within a building envelope of 2 floors and an additional receded floor all around. No excavation works were permitted on site.

Apartment building montage existing views and after as per the application

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