Mepa has just announced that it is receiving applications by the dozen for funding in the Maltese Balcony Scheme.

This is very positive. Mepa will allocate 60 per cent of funding up to a maximum of Lm600 for people who either want to restore their traditional Maltese wooden gallarija (balcony) or to replace their existing one with the traditional structure.

It is encouraging to see that so many Maltese people want to keep in style with the traditional architecture of the islands. With so many plastic boxes and apartment blocks sprouting up everywhere, it is indeed refreshing to see that there is a scheme available to help people who might not have the funding to embark on the project, paying out of their own pocket. With this incentive, people might not see it as being so prohibitive and the results are plain to see. Mepa also has financial schemes to help people place their air conditioning filter units within the balcony – utilising slats in the balconies. Unfortunately, in the past, and to a lesser extent at present, too many developments are allowed to go ahead which spoil the character of the island, or are not in keeping with surroundings.

Yet, at least we are improving, while some oppose some of the larger developments, that at Xaghra l-Hamra and more recently, Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo, one cannot deny that there are areas in which we are making progress and that would have to be village cores, with special mention going to houses of character.

One might be tempted to think that the restoration of these houses to be turned into modern habitable buildings could be down to discerning new buyers looking for a particular type of home.

But analysis of the take-up of various schemes proves otherwise. The balconies scheme is one such example; existing village core owners are availing themselves of the offer and it shows that there is a true spirit aimed at conserving our traditional architecture. However, we must also point out that Mepa really should put its foot down when people paint their houses sky blue, pink, glaring yellow or even red. All that is needed to complete the clown outfit is polka dots and we are sure that if you looked hard enough you might even find one. Such spoilers should not be allowed. True, one’s home is their castle, so to speak, but not at the expense of the whole surrounding area. Perhaps this could be some food for thought for the authority.

Back to more positive things, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Resources is another entity which deserves praise in this regard. The ministry’s public works employees have been, for the past four years or so, concentrating heavily on restoration work at chapels, archways, aqueducts and many others. Even when they embark on new embellishment projects, they design them in a such a way that they will blend into the scenery. This does not happen by chance, it is a well thought out process that has even seen reproduction rubble walls sprouting up in the countryside and lining various new roads.

There is a lot that is unique in Malta. Finally we are realising that unique does not mean inferior. But we must make sure that this impetus is kept up. It would indeed be a shame if all this good work were to peter out. If anything it needs to be stepped up and this is where corporate entities should be incentivised to ensure that their structures make as little an impact as possible on our skyline.