Nature Trust (Malta) together with Front Harsien ODZ are seriously concerned with the granting of an application for a coastal house in an ODZ at Xrobb l-Ghagin (application 1522/15). The applicant is Yana Bland Mintoff. 

This two bedroomed coastal house was never used as a residence and the application was granted based on a permit issued in 2002 but never materialized (3683/02). This conversion was approved by the Planning Commission last February, the ENGOs said.

This site lies on cliffs which had been scheduled as a Level 2 Area of Ecological Importance and Area of High Landscape Value as per Government Notice No. 400/96. Moreover it lies in the vicinity of historical remains which include the remains of a De Redin watch tower dating to 1659, and an entrenchment wall with the remains of 2 redans built by French Military engineers in 1761. In front of this site there are saltpans and just behind it there is an Educational Nature Park.

Furthermore a very recent application (4432/16) on the same site which was published on PA website on 10th August for the excavation of a reservoir, has been approved on 12th September. Nature Trust (Malta)and Front Harsien ODZ demand an explanation from the Planning Authority for this fast-tracking of this application (just over a month - when the target date was October). The eNGOs also question how such an application was approved in the first place when this building was never used as a residence and the site is in a Scheduled ODZ area.

They also inquire whether any consideration was taken regards the historical remains in the area. A geological assessment should be carried out to determine whether the excavation and other machinery works related to this development would threaten the scheduled coastal area and the historical remains.