A site close to the historic Mensija church in San Ġwann has once again been earmarked for development, even though all previous applications, including as recently as December, have been rejected by the planning authority.
This time round, the land owner, Francis Spiteri, has filed an application to construct a road right through this site measuring 1,940 square metres.
Last year the Environment and Resources Authority issued a conservation order to safeguard this site overlooking Wied Għomor due to its ecological and geological importance as it features unique cave structures and a sinkhole.
In this respect, the ERA had warned against any excavation works in the area as they could jeopardise the structural integrity of the rocks, including the chapel, and possibly put people’s lives at risk.
This degree of protection had been key to the planning authority’s decision to reject an application for the construction of a large residential block comprising 39 luxury apartments and pools over five floors.
Subsequently, the developer had challenged ERA’s decision to issue the conservation order and the appeal is pending.
This saga took a fresh twist when the owner of the land recently filed what is known as a planning control application, a term used when requesting modifications to road alignments and the type of designated development allowed.
Under the plans submitted by the applicant, the road would take up around a quarter of the site’s footprint with the rest being designated for residential purposes and semi-detached dwellings.
As expected, this fresh attempt has fuelled fierce objections from neighbouring residents and heritage lovers.
Objectors, who number around 100, pointed out that since the turn of the millennium four applications had either been rejected by the planning authority or withdrawn by the developer.
They are insisting that the reasons cited in last December’s refusal were still valid and consequently the application should be rejected hands down.
Questions were also raised about the proposal to construct a road “leading to nowhere” unless it could be part of a wider plan to develop the area in a piecemeal fashion.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, two days before the public consultation period of the application closes, residents echoed these concerns while insisting that, by law, no development was to be allowed on the site.
They pointed out that multiple studies carried out over the years by the ERA concluded that the site must benefit from the highest level of protection.
Residents called on the authorities to stand up once for the environment and the community as they had done in December.
An objection has also been filed by the Church's Interdiocesan Environment Commission.