The proposal to construct apartments on what Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar is calling a 250-year-old garden in Ghaxaq, has caused a public outcry.
Flimkien Ghal Ambjent Ahjar has declared itself against the development. The FAA, through its objection form for the public to sign, states that “The garden of Palazzo Giannin forms, along with those of Villa Mekrech and Gnien tal-Kmand, one of the three historical green enclaves of Hal-Ghaxaq. The Palazzo Giannin Garden, believed to be over 250 years old, contains a number of Baroque architectural decorations and serves as a landmark of the village. The villa and its garden were in fact included as a Grade 2 Scheduled property only recently in 2013.”
The site is on Triq Il-Hatem. According to plans, the application will see five levels constructed, in addition to a basement level. The levels will rise from garden level, to ground floor, through first and second floors, and a penthouse level, according to the plans.
The application would see some 30 residential units constructed
Many objections have thus far been received. One reads: “this garden is one of the few green lungs left in this part of the island and beneficial to the community of this village. This garden has a lot of architectural decorations that date back to many years. It's a landmark in our village and this garden should have been scheduled and given protection in 2013 and I cannot understand how such application pops up again.
Another reads: “Our village lungs are shrinking, and people are getting sicker everyday. We need more gardens, not blocks of concrete. This one has got both environmental and social value. Please do not accept this application.”
FAA, through the public objection form, argues that three 5-storey stand-alone apartment blocks obliterating the environs to a fraction of its original form can under no circumstances be deemed sensitive and appropriate to the character of a Baroque garden.
“The unsuitability of the garden as a residential complex is further shown through the resultant parking shortfall that as proposed will have 30 parking spaces required over and above that being provided through the development, exacerbating the already-existing parking problem. The proposed basement will in turn result in more loss of the garden as it will extend beyond the building footprint, requiring even more excavation and loss of trees that is not being adequately represent in the proposal. Being over 250 years old, the garden contains oaks, olive trees and aleppo pines that are protected under the Trees and Woodlands Protection Regulations and cannot be felled - another point missing from the application.”
“The development will effectively reduce the Grade 2 scheduled garden to less than 20% of its original size, making the PA's 2013 decision to warrant it protection through scheduling meaningless,” the FAA public objection letter read.