A Żebbuġ resident has accused his local council of destroying “the only nice feature in the area” after the trees outside his home were “destroyed” with chainsaws last Friday, while a children’s park just 200 metres has been left littered with animal faeces and the rotting body of a dead cat.

Justin Agius grew up in the shadow of the tall trees located in the strip that intersects Prinċep Bażiliku and Pawlu Debono streets. Last Thursday evening he noticed ‘No Parking’ signs had been placed near to the trees and he sensed “something bad” was about to happen.

His fears were confirmed at 6.30 a.m. the next morning when awoke to the sound of chainsaws and saw men cutting away large sections of the trees. When he confronted them, Mr Agius said they informed him they had instructions from the council.

By the time they had finished, all the greenery had been removed from the trees and all that was left were stark stumps, some of them cut down almost to ground level.

Mr Agius claims he then called the council when he arrived at work, pointing out that there had been no consultation with residents about the decision, and he was informed by a man in the council office that they didn’t need residents’ permission to cut trees.

“It is outrageous; we already lack green spaces in Malta. If a regular person were to cut down trees then quite rightly they would be accused of destroying the environment, but the people in power can do what they want,” Mr Agius said.

According to Mr Agius, the council official also told him that the area would be upgraded into a landscaped area with benches, but Mr Agius is sceptical as the area has not been totally cleared and is still covered in skeletal tree stumps and felled branches.

Mr Agius also showed The Sunday Times photos of a children’s playground that already exists just 200 metres away from the felled trees. It is in a state of total dilapidation, with offensive graffiti covering the walls, animal excrement all over the floor – including at the foot of the children’s slide – and the body of dead cat rotting in the open.

“These are the problems the council should be fixing, instead of destroying the only nice feature in the area they had responsibility for,” Mr Agius said.

He added that the road he lives on is “like Mars” due to the prevalence of potholes.

Mr Agius claims many of his neighbours also object to the trees being chopped down and he plans to fight the council’s action. He is even willing to take legal action if necessary.

When contacted, Żebbuġ mayor Alfred Grixti denied the trees had been chopped down. He said they had been “pruned” for the first time in three years, but they would grow back to the way they were in time. He also said the space would be upgraded with benches so that residents could sit under the shade of the – now short and branchless – trees.

Asked about the dilapidated children’s playground, Mr Grixti said plans to upgrade it had been finalised and a tender to carry out the upgrading works would be issued soon.

pcooke@timesofmalta.com