Environment NGOs are unconvinced that the government’s decision to stop demolition and excavation works at 4pm will address residents’ concerns about the construction industry.

Moviment Graffitti, Din l-Art Ħelwa, Għawdix and Wirt Għawdex all said they welcome the measure announced this week but agreed that much more needs to be done.

From Tuesday, excavation and demolition works can take place between 7.30am and 4pm. Previously, works were allowed between 8am and 2pm and then from 4pm until 8pm.

Din l-Art Ħelwa insisted that “the industry is not really being asked to give up anything”.

“Anybody who knows the construction industry knows that allowing excavation between 8am to 2pm and then from 4pm to 8pm was really a farce since no construction site starts as late as 8am and very rarely does construction continue beyond 4pm,” it said.

“So, allowing work between 7.30am and 4pm is really acknowledging how the industry really operates.”

Għawdix, which campaigns against over construction in Gozo, said demolition and excavation are only a small part of the construction industry.

“On a short walk on a Saturday around Xlendi, one can notice chaotic scenes, such as workers grinding tiles with dust falling on diners underneath,” it said.

“This clearly shows that the government needs to move from lip-service PR stunts and copy-paste method statements to actually regulate and enforce what is happening on the ground.”

Graffitti added it had previously proposed that construction working times begin no earlier than 8am and be restricted to eight hours a day.

It said contractors should be bound to introduce alternative forms of excavation machinery to reduce vibrations and noise from hydraulic hammers in residential areas.

“The ultimate cause of this continuous disturbance in our neighbourhoods is the unhindered construction industry,” Graffitti said.

“Despite the belief that this is necessary to keep the economy running, the scale at which this industry operates is unsustainable at both social and environmental levels and has been consistently eating away at our quality of life.”

Wirt Għawdex said that noise and inconvenience is the result of a much bigger problem of oversized development aided by policies that encourage demolition.

On introducing the measure, the environment ministry said the change was “the result of continuous work towards a more sustainable industry and within the context of the construction reform”.

It also said that it aimed to reduce noise and inconvenience in the evening.