Alternattiva Demokratika – the Green Party, chairman Harry Vassallo said that had the North Harbours Local Plan had been brought into force when completed years ago the construction of the Palace Hotel would not have been granted a permit and Tal-Grazzja Chapel in Sliema would not have been damaged by the excavation works.

The structural damage occurred on Thursday.

“The local plan for this area had identified the need to avoid further hotel development but was kept on the shelf until a number of developments contrary to it were carried out,” Dr Vassallo said.

“Although the developers claim to have take all necessary measures to avoid causing damage to the chapel and to neighbouring homes, the damage had been caused and clearly the precautions taken were not sufficient,” Dr Vassallo said.

In a counter-statement, the Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry said that the incident did not take place because of the construction work taking place nearby, but during the excavation of a trench in the road in front of the church.

It is unjust to attribute the incident to work taking place on the construction site, and neither can the incident be linked to the fact that the local plan had taken long to be drawn up.

Excavation work has been taking place for years and no incidents had been reported until Thursday.

Even if the local plan had come into effect, it cannot be said that such an incident would not have taken place. It is shameful that an unfortunate incident had been used by AD to gain political mileage, the ministry said.