The environmental group Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar said that in 1995, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority had refused permission for the development of a villa on the Ulysses Lodge site. And there was a later refusal, in 1996, relating to the Ramla l-Hamra hill side. “This highlights a departure from policy in an evident U-turn by the Mepa board,” the group said.

FAA coordinator Astrid Vella said: “These verdicts contrast sharply with the latest Ramla decision giving the green light for a development of 23 villas with pools. This runs counter to Mepa’s 1995 decision against a permit for a single villa to be built on the Ulysees Lodge site, due to regulations on scenic value and erosion factors, as well as going against policy on development outside committed areas.”

Ms Vella added that unlike in 1995, Malta now has to conform to stringent EU environment regulations, which call for full assessment of environmental impact (EIA) in cases such as Ramla. Exemption is only permissible in exceptional cases and there was nothing to suggest that Ramla should be any exception to the rule.

The FAA noted that other permits for dwellings and pools have now been applied for on the Ramla hillside, no doubt in the hope that approval of the Ulysees Lodge permit would

create a precedent that would allow more permits to be issued.