Din L-Art Helwa and Din L-Art Helwa Ghawdex are demanding an investigation into the professional conduct of the Gozitan Perit and of the Planning Authority’s ‘failed processes responsible for the demolition of a pristine gem of Gozo’s heritage.”

In a statement Din L-Art Helwa (DLH) and Din L-Art Helwa Ghawdex (DLHGh) said that they are calling for an investigation by the Commissioner for Environment and Planning in the Office of the Ombudsman, and for the Kamra tal-Periti to examine the professional conduct of a Gozitan Perit for his role in the near-total recent destruction of one of Gozo’s best-preserved examples of vernacular architecture.

DLH and DLHGh are also calling for the Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change to ask the Chairman and CEO of the Planning Authority (PA) to undertake an internal investigation of its processes and the role of its planning officers and managers in allowing what it described as this ”catastrophic event to happen to Gozo’s precious heritage.”The NGOs said that ”described, variously, as a ‘pristine time-capsule of Gozo’s farmstead history’ and ‘a museum of a bygone era’ the building in Xewkija, Gozo known locally as ‘Tal-Hniena’ was hurriedly demolished on 9th of December, just one day before the public became aware of the building’s value.”

It went on to say that, ”notwithstanding the national outrage generated by the press the developer, Mark Falzon, rushed the demolition works. The Planning Authority did nothing to stop the demolition.”

”Neither did the Planning Authority properly evaluate the quality of the vernacular building before it authorised its destruction. This is its statutory role, a role that is increasingly undermined by planning officer actions, and Commission and Tribunal decisions,’ the NGO said.

The NGOs also highlighted that ”Mark Falzon is an electrical engineer who, as he has done before, declared in the application form that he is not the owner of the entire site but is authorised to do so under agreement with the owner.”

Also According to the NGOs, ”it has been reported that, on this project, he appears to be a front for Joseph Portelli, the developer of bland, speculative, apartment blocks.’

DLH and DLHGh said that its investigations have revealed errors of fact or omission in the submissions to the Planning Authority and on which the PA relied upon to issue a permit. These errors include the description of the project as ‘consisting of limited demolition’ when in fact over half of the building was demolished.Photographs submitted to the PA,” obscured or totally excluded” some of the most important elements of the building which had substantial historic, social and architectural value, the NGOs said.

These include a ‘birth room,’ beautifully constructed stone stairways, rare stone sinks (‘Mejjilli’), animal pens, a Gozo-cheese (‘Gbejniet’) drying room and increasingly rare, extra-long stone roofing slabs (‘Xorok tal-Qasba’).

They said that, ”none of these were mentioned in his submission or clearly evident in his photographic submission. In addition, it appears that no drawing was submitted to the PA that showed the entire, existing building intact. Nor was a clean demolition plan submitted.”

They also argued that Incorrect information was also provided, evident in the public application form, that no rubble walls would be demolished, or trees felled. ”In fact, the development requires the demolition of rubble walls and the removal of trees.”

The NGOS pointed out that one appears to possibly be a protected species. It is also stated that no new or altered vehicular access would be required when submitted drawings show that, in fact, 12 new access points are indicated, including one to a proposed underground carpark on Bennejja Street.

They went on to say that ”there are also indications that the PA Case Officer and PA management were remiss in their conduct on this case and that they did not undertake their obligations of due diligence with appropriate professionalism and duty of care.”

”There is no evidence that any official of the PA ever visited the site to make a proper assessment. The PA appears to have depended entirely on the Perit’s submission to make its assessment,” the NGOS said.

They noted that, ;;this, notwithstanding that the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage (SCH) had written to the PA of its concerns multiple times and had flagged the building as being of evident vernacular and historical value and is to be retained in its entirety, with minimal interventions.”

According to the NGOs documentation also indicates that the PA endorsed drawings and Method Statements that did not contain basic information such as a client name or the proposed site address.

DLH and DLHGh also demand to know how the demolition of the building was allowed to proceed without any evidence being provided of any Operational Health and Safety (OHS) precautions as required by law.

The obligatory ‘Copy of Original Notice Decision’ (green) forms provided by the Planning Authority were not posted on site.

They said that in the ultimate irony, those that were exhibited state: ‘No development may be carried out under the powers of the following development permission.’

DLH and DLHGh have written to the President of the Kamra tal-Periti, Perit Andre Pizzuto and the Kamra members to launch an investigation with urgency into the Perit’s role and professional conduct in this case. DLH and DLHGh have also requested that the Kamra extend its investigation to include those of any other architects who habitually exhibit similar professional misconduct.

The Coalition for Gozo (a grouping of Gozo’s main heritage NGOs Din l-Art Helwa Ghawdex, Ghawdix and Wirt Ghawdex) had written to the PA Executive Council Chairman Martin Saliba and Planning Board Chairperson Perit Vince Cassar on the 8th of December inviting them to meet before Christmas to discuss pressing Gozitan issues.

It said that it is still awaiting acceptance of their invitation.

Photos: DLH and DLHGh – The Xewkija farmhouse before demolition; after ”limited demolition” and ”Remarkably intact features in ‘museum quality’ vernacular spaces” before demolition

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