ADPD-The Green Party has unreservedly condemned the permit that was approved to build a block of apartments near the UNESCO site of Ġgantija temples.

The Planning Authority last week approved an application that will see 22 apartments and 20 garages built on the edge of the Xagħra Development Zone. The site is less than 200m away from the Ggantija temples. It currently consists of an existing two storey building with an ancillary garage and stores, and with undeveloped land at the rear. The front of the site overlooks Triq il-Parsott.

ADPD said that this development permit "further reinforces the notion that the Planning Authority is there simply as a rubber stamp, confirming the decisions taken by others, and that in reality it has no authority."

The party said that this lack of historical sense and respect for a world heritage site shows that, for certain people, Ġgantija is simply considered as a worthless mound of stones, "as for some the only important value is monetary."

ADPD-The Green Party Chairperson Sandra Gauci said that while Valletta has been turned into another Paceville, "now even this site of global importance is not being given its due appreciation. The members of the Planning Authority board that voted in favour of this project should be dismissed on this decision alone and investigated because their behavior is ruining the buffer zone surrounding a world heritage site for the private and personal benefit of one person. This indifference not only towards UNESCO but also towards the people who protested and fought this project, shows how much money talks here in Malta and that the historical legacy of our forefathers will be sacrificed for the sake of one block of flats."

"What use is there for the Malta Tourism Authority to spend our taxes on advertisements with football teams and influencers when. with a decision like this. we are revealing to the whole world that what we have close to our hearts is money and power," Gauci concluded.

In a note submitted by the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage last February, the superintendence said: "Please note that UNESCO's World Heritage Centre in a letter to Malta's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, has insisted in accordance with the Operational Guidelines, a Heritage Impact Assessment should be carried out for this development." The Planning Commission had suspended the case for six months due to this. However, an updated case officer's report filed in September, reads: "The Planning Commission may wish to note that no information has been submitted following SCH doc 2058a (the document containing the aforementioned SCH statement).  In view of this, the Post Recommendation Team has nothing to assess (...) Application referred for the Board's further consideration." The Board then approved the application.