A Birżebbuġa NGO has written to the prime minister for the fourth time since February, urging him to honour his electoral promise and rule out development in Wied Żnuber.

Times of Malta first reported on plans to turn a stretch of land off Wied Żnuber, close to a Natura 2000 site, into an airstrip for model aircraft in February.

Among others, Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa, Moviment Graffitti,  the Birżebbuġa local council, farmers, a group of Birżebbuġa residents and 14 other NGOs, including BirdLife Malta and Din l-Art Ħelwa have voiced concern over the development. 

An agreement, signed between the authorities and the Ħal Far Model Flying Association, made public by Times of Malta, for the relocation of an airstrip to the site acknowledges the new area’s “close proximity to the Natura 2000 site”.

Following the public outcry, Robert Abela had claimed “there will be no development in Wied Żnuber”.

The Prime Minister was reminded of that electoral promise on Friday, with a letter from the Għadqa Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa.

The association had already written to Abela on the matter, on February 24, March 11 and May 10, following up with "several gentle reminders",  it said on Friday. It had never received a reply.

The association is urging Abela to "direct his efforts towards the common good of the general public instead of allowing any other unethical intentions that might leave irreversible damage on the natural environment of the country".

The association is calling on Abela to officially withdraw the plan to develop the airstrip for the following reasons:

• Site is of great ecological and archaeological importance
• Site still in its natural state and consists of tilled fields and garrigue
• Public and other interested entities were never consulted on this development on public land
• No environmental impact studies were carried out before signing the agreement
• Site was well preserved by the British, but wrongly included within the Ħal Far industrial zone afterwards
• Activity and air movements generated by model aeroplanes next to a Natura 2000 site breach EU directive
• This last remaining natural site in the area must remain accessible to the public