Safi residents united in protest against a proposed development of 22 apartments and a commercial outlet in the village core on Saturday, as they called for an extension of the urban conservation area.

In a press conference held on site, residents explained the proposed development breaches planning regulations on the development in UCAs.

Development in transition zones must not pave the way for such areas to lose their characteristics, the residents argued.

Plans would see the demolition of a one-storey building to be replaced by a five-floor building above ground and two underground levels.

One family currently lives in the property where demolition is being proposed to make way for units that would house 22 families.

“This is a narrow street in the village core that will be negatively impacted by the increased traffic to enter and exit the proposed building,” said resident Saviour Sammut.

“The proposed development would ruin the entrance to our picturesque village, undermine the streetscape of our village core and destroy the existing traditional arched water reservoir found under the current one-storey building," he added.

He urged the government to protect village cores, pushing for Safi's UCA to be extended until the end of Triq San Pawl, that serves as an entrance to the village.

Houses built in this area should keep to the design and height of the other buildings and should be complemented with the use of Maltese stone, he said.

The Planning Authority is set to hear the application on June 5.

Sammut said this is only one of the changes facing Safi, with another application for 400 new apartments planned for a new area which is currently agricultural and natural land.