News | Sunday, 19 April 2009

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Heritage board says no to Mellieha villas

James Debono
MEPA’s own Natural Heritage Panel is calling for the refusal of an application to build 98 new units on a stretch of virgin land, consisting of trees and protected garigue, behind the Mellieha Bay Hotel in Ghadira.
As one of the two panels of experts forming MEPA’s Heritage Advisory Committee, the panel provides professional advice to the authority on conservation of the natural heritage.
“The proposal is objectionable in principle and the panel strongly recommends refusal since it involves an extensive development in a relatively unspoilt natural land, including garigue and maquis,” the panel, chaired by David Dandria, said.
It also noted that part of the site is scheduled as an area of ecological importance.
Plans submitted by the developers and seen by this newspaper show 47 new bungalows with pools, three car parks, a restaurant as well as a leisure and welfare centre. The proposed development is set to cover a footprint of 5,400 square metres. It also entails the felling of trees.
“This piece of land was given to us by the government for development. What we are expecting is for MEPA to come back to us to tell us what sort of development can take place on this site,” owner Albert Mizzi told MaltaToday when asked how the proposed development can fit with the character of the area.
Mizzi is a director of the Mellieha Bay Hotel, which is partly owned by Mizzi Associated Enterprises Ltd. This company is owned by Alf Mizzi and Sons, in which Albert Mizzi is a shareholder.
The company pays the government just €349.41 (equivalent to Lm150 a year) for the land presently occupied by the Mellieha Bay Hotel and a much larger area for a total of 165,246 square metres, which is now earmarked for villa development.

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