The residents of Gharb have appealed to Clint Camilleri, as both Minister for Gozo and Planning Minister, to help them prevent the building of a five storey old people’s home on ODZ land which, they say, ”is actively farmed.”

In a joint statement on Thursday, the residents highlighted that the planning application (PA02994/24) has been strongly opposed by the village council, and there have been over 500 objections lodged with the Planning Authority already.

“As Camilleri is duty-bound to protect the environment and architectural heritage of the island, as well as its people, surely he will oppose this planning application,” says local home-owner Kevin Valencia.

He stressed that,”there should be no building on ODZ land when there are lots of other more suitable places where a building of this magnitude could be constructed. We hope that everyone who hears of this proposal to spoil the landscape and skyline will make an objection to Malta Planning Authority. It literally takes a minute and you really will be helping say ‘No to Overdevelopment across Malta. Enough is enough.”

The residents said that ”Moviment Graffiti, Din l’Art Helwa and other organisations have concerns that if this planning application is accepted, it will significantly damage the traditional character of Gharb forever.”

They explained that the old people’s home immediately abuts an urban conservation area and is in a design priority area consisting of one and two storey buildings.

“Gharb residents are strongly opposing this exploitation of Gharb’s environment. The fields are actively farmed and local families will suffer. The scale of the proposed building and its use is completely inappropriate in this old quarter of the village with its beautiful narrow streets. We are asking all Gozitans to unite against overdevelopment and exploitation,” said David Pace

“The height is completely inappropriate for an old village setting like this,” says villager Bob Cardona. “The five-storey blank party walls will tower over everything – and will wall in people who live here so that they lose all the natural light in their homes. The architect and developers have paid no heed whatsoever to local people.”

The residents also stressed that the access to and from the proposed building is another cause for much concern. ”A narrow one-way street behind the village church is the only route to its entrance so increased traffic will be an issue: this road is already regularly blocked by trucks.”

They went on to say that ”other locals are worried about the parking: the proposed building has only 29 parking spaces for as many as 136 residents, visitors and 24-hour staff. Parking is already a huge problem in this part of the village.”Local residents stressed that:

· ”There have also been objections that the rear of the proposed building is directly across the valley Ta Pinu, spoiling the rural view from the basilica for locals and tourists alike. “It will degrade the beauty of Ta’ Pinu and Ghola tal Ghammar pilgrimage walk,” says Fr Patrick Pullicino, another unhappy resident of Gharb.

· Residents in the neighbouring village are unhappy too: all the heavy construction vehicles leaving the site would have to pass either past Ta’ Pinu where the road is often very congested endangering worshippers and tourists or through the centre of the beautiful village of Ghasri.

· The plans themselves suggest the proposed development shows little care for those it might accommodate: of 68 rooms, 24 will have no external windows. They will be lit only via a small window onto an internal shaft. “We all know that these rooms will be dark even on the brightest day,” says Lucy Mercieca, who lives adjacent to the proposed building. “Who would wish their mother or father to be in a cell like that when they are ill or bedbound? There is virtually no external space other than a small terrace. The developers are likely to extend further into ODZ for gardens, and probably a pool.”

· Other elements of the design have raised suspicions that the building will not remain an old people’s home. “Gozo already has a number of old people’s homes including one just 1.5km away, and more are already being built,” she continues. “Everyone thinks the developers are only planning an Old People’s Home to get a development on ODZ land. The plans show that the clinic is the size of two large toilet cubicles while the gym is six or eight times larger. Probably the building will actually be used as a hotel or holiday lets.”

· It is thought there are errors and anomalies in the application itself “We’re concerned that there appear to be a number of anomalies in the architectural submissions to the planning authority. It would be a travesty if a giant project like this was approved because the plans omitted key information or included significant errors in the projected elevations of the building. The image of the rear, for example, appears to be shown flipped left-to-right, downplaying the true effect of the building on neighbouring properties. Also the proposed building stretches considerably beyond 30 metres from the line of the public highway,” said Esther Lafferty

· And what of people’s trust in the system? “Failure to follow the planning laws here will simply show that the ODZ and other planning laws mean nothing.” >From an objection to the Planning Authority.”

The people of Gharb said that they are asking everyone across Gozo and Malta ”to help protect our environment from further ugly and unnecessary overdevelopment, and to protect ODZ land, village character and architectural heritage by clicking here https://www.bit.ly/PA-02994-24 [Include name, ID/resident number and email address on the form: anonymous objections many not be counted. Personal details remain confidential.]

“Gharb is one of most remote villages in Malta and is rich with the vernacular characteristics of traditional village life. If developers are allowed to build in this fashion and ruin our architectural heritage on this furthest edge of the islands, what hope do any of us have? Nowhere is safe,” said Alan Montanaro.’

This planning application (PA02994/24) is dated 22nd May 2024. Objections to the Malta Planning Authority should be submitted no later than the 20th of June.

Local residents said that the village of Gharb has 600 households. The addition of an old people’s home, which could house 138 old people, would increase the population by well over 10% and stretch the infrastructure beyond capacity. A similar application has also ready been rejected a number of times because the access to the site was previously deemed unsuitable.”

Photos: Gharb Residents

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