When the authorities responsible for the protection of heritage and environment support speculators' greed, they become personally responsible for the destruction and for undermining residents' health and quality of life, an NGO said today.

In a statement referring to yesterday's Planning Authority permit approval of Blackley Bakery in Pietà and The Cloisters in Sliema, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar asked why permission was granted for the scheduled Blackley building to rise to four floors, depriving neighbours of light and air.

The Cloisters in Sliema, now and as proposed.

It also asked why Victor Axiak, the chairman of the Environment Resource Authority, voted in favour.

It noted that the developers of the Blackley Bakery were also allowed to gut the building, with Johann Buttigieg, PA CEO, claiming this was allowed in Grade 2 protected buildings.

The heritage law stated: "Permission to demolish Grade 2 buildings will not normally be given. Alterations to the interior will be allowed if proposed to be carried out sensitively and causing the least detriment to the character and architectural homogeneity of the building.

The NGO asked why did the superintendence of Cultural Heritage approve such violations of heritage law.

Similarly, in the case of The Cloisters, short-term financial interests took precedence over preservation of the nation's heritage.

“This building, notable for the clean lines of its vernacular baroque façade will become an aggressive overdevelopment, its garden built up to seven floors in violation of the PA’s regulation on heights within Urban Conservation Areas (UCAs).

“What is the point of designating UCAs if they are ignored. With both of the main political parties, as well the authorities charged to preserve our heritage, approving its disfigurement, is it surprising that the public perceives them all to be in the developers' pockets,” it asked.

FAA said that mismanagement of heritage destroyed the very element that made Malta special.

Cultural heritage provided Malta with a unique identity and lifestyle that attracted foreign investment and effective tourism marketing.

“Heritage skylines, historic architectural façades and internal period features are what draw tourists to Malta – tourists do not come for Valletta and Mdina alone. As we continue to destroy the rest, we’ll be left with a soulless island choking in the fumes of its traffic and short-sighted overdevelopment,” FAA said.