Moviment Graffitti is supporting residents as they oppose yet another mega development in the small town of Xemxija. A 13-storey tower (PA/00865/24) is proposed on protected garigue and very close to established cart ruts, with this monster development also endangering the Roman Baths that are found right below the area in question, where a new road is proposed in order to deal with the massive influx of apartments.

Xemxija residents are already facing the construction of another massive development at the ex-Mistra Village site, where 4 huge towers are proposed with over 700 apartments, with excavation works having started despite the Court having upheld the residents’ appeal of the permit. If the 13-storey tower proposal were to go through, over 1000 apartments would be built at the same time in this very small town.

Another concern for residents is the lack of infrastructure in place to handle these 1000 apartments. There are only 2 very narrow and steep roads in and out of Xemxija, making an influx of 1000 apartments along the same roads, and at one go, almost unimaginable for the residents of the area.

The site is also home to a population of hedgehogs, along with protected orchids and wild thyme among many other characteristic Maltese flora and fauna, including the Maltese honey bee.

Therefore, we urge the Planning Authority to refuse this application as it stands. Another monster development would continue to add to the copious amounts of noise, dust, traffic, and stress that the residents of the area face daily on a massive scale, considering the size and scope of the ongoing Mistra development and this new development were it to be approved.

We also urge the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage to take a stand against this application which, if approved, will impose on the context of the cart ruts, currently surrounded by natural garigue, and which will instead be surrounded by man-made landscaping and tall buildings. The Roman Baths in the area lie just under where this proposed development is, and the extensive works proposed, including excavating to make an underground car park will put this valuable site at major risk.

Finally, we also urge the Government to protect the land for the common benefit of residents and ensure public access, preserving the cultural and natural heritage for generations to come, and preserving the open space there already is.

The public is invited to send their objection to the proposed development. Instructions can be found on the Moviment Graffitti Facebook Page.

The organisations that participated in the Press Conference are:
St. Paul’s Bay Local Council
Moviment Graffitti
Friends of the Earth Malta
Għawdix
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Nature Trust – FEE Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Ramblers’ Association Malta
BirdLife Malta

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Residenti, attivisti, u l-Kunsill Lokali jingħaqdu kontra t-torrijiet tar-regħba fix-Xemxija

Il-Moviment Graffitti qed jappoġġja lir-residenti fl-oppożizzjoni tagħhom għal żvilupp enormi ieħor fir-raħal żgħir tax-Xemxija. Qed jiġi propost torri ta’ 13-il sular (PA/00865/24) fuq xagħri protett u qrib ħafna cart ruts; żvilupp mostruż li jipperikola wkoll il-Banjijiet Rumani li jinsabu eżatt taħt iż-żona inkwistjoni fejn qed tiġi proposta triq ġdida sabiex tlaħħaq mal-influss kbir ta’ appartamenti.

Ir-residenti tax-Xemxija diġà qed iħabbtu wiċċhom mal-bini ta’ żvilupp massiv ieħor fis-sit fejn kien hemm il-Mistra Village, fejn ġew proposti erba’ torrijiet enormi b’aktar minn 700 appartament. Ix-xogħlijiet ta’ tħaffir bdew minkejja li l-Qorti laqgħet l-appell tar-residenti kontra l-permess. Jekk tintlaqa’ l-proposta tat-torri ta’ 13-il sular, f’dan il-post żgħir ħafna se jinbnew aktar minn 1,000 appartament fl-istess ħin.

Ta’ tħassib għar-residenti huwa wkoll in-nuqqas ta’ infrastruttura li hemm biex jiġu mmaniġġjati dawn l-1,000 appartament. Hemm biss żewġ toroq dojoq ħafna ġewwa u barra x-Xemxija. Dan jagħmel l-influss ta’ 1,000 appartament f’daqqa fl-istess toroq kważi inkomprensibbli għar-residenti taż-żona.

Is-sit fih ukoll popolazzjoni ta’ qniefed, flimkien ma’ orkidej protetti u sagħtar selvaġġ fost ħafna flora u fawna oħra tipiċi Maltin, inkluż in-naħla Maltija.

Għalhekk, inħeġġu lill-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar biex tirrifjuta din l-applikazzjoni. Meta tqis id-daqs u l-ambitu tal-iżvilupp kontinwu tal-Mistra u dan l-iżvilupp ġdid kieku kellu jiġu approvat, żvilupp mostruż ieħor se jkompli jżid mal-ammonti kbar ta’ storbju, trab, traffiku, u stress li r-residenti taż-żona jaffaċċjaw kuljum fuq skala kbira.

Inħeġġu wkoll lis-Supretendent tal-Wirt Kulturali biex jieħu pożizzjoni kontra din l-applikazzjoni li jekk tiġi approvata se taffetwa l-ambjent tal-cart ruts li bħalissa huma mdawra b’xagħri naturali, u li minflok se jiġu mdawra b’landscaping artifiċjali u bini għoli. Il-Banjijiet Rumani fiż-żona jinsabu eżatt taħt il-post fejn qed jiġi propost l-iżvilupp, u x-xogħlijiet estensivi proposti, inkluż it-tħaffir biex isir parkeġġ taħt l-art, se jpoġġu dan is-sit ta’ valur f’riskju kbir.

Fl-aħħar nett, inħeġġu wkoll lill-Gvern biex iħares l-art għall-ġid komuni tar-residenti u jwiegħed l-aċċess pubbliku, jippreserva l-wirt kulturali u naturali għall-ġenerazzjonijiet li ġejjin, u jieħu ħsieb l-ispazju miftuħ li hemm diġà.

Il-pubbliku huwa mħeġġeġ jibgħat l-oġġezzjoni tiegħu għal dan l-iżvilupp. Istruzzjonijiet jinstabu fuq il-Paġna tal-Moviment Graffitti.

L-organizzazzjonijiet li pparteċipaw fil-Konferenza Stampa huma:
Kunsill Lokali San Pawl il-Baħar
Moviment Graffitti
Friends of the Earth Malta
Għawdix
Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar
Nature Trust – FEE Malta
Din l-Art Ħelwa
Ramblers’ Association Malta
BirdLife Malta