From Ms N. Kampschuur

In 1989 I bought a flat in Katerina Vitale Street, Xemxija. There was no Mistra Village then but in the following months my late husband and I watched the Mistra Village Hotel Complex being built. It was a charming building, sympathetic to the surrounding countryside, built solidly and imaginatively in the Maltese style and had beautiful landscaped gardens. It enhanced the area. I am appalled that it fell into disrepair and has now been demolished.

Having seen drawings of the proposed building to be constructed on that site I couldn’t believe what I saw. Something so ugly and so dominant in the surrounding area, totally at odds with the rural nature of its surroundings shocks me. Such a construction would ruin the ambience and charm of the area. What attracted me to Xemxija Heights could be gone forever and I feel that my pleasure in visiting Malta from my home in the UK could be over. Katerina Vitale Street could become a noisy, nasty place to live in. I see no point in inviting friends and family to join me here because of the unfavourable impression they would get and I know they would never want to visit Malta again. Tourists are very put off by building sites.

I wonder how the road infrastructure (already overloaded around Xemxija Hill) could support the construction of such a huge project. As far as I can see, the quality of life for the residents of Xemxija Heights and the peace of the area would deteriorate badly and become intolerable. Lack of light and pressure of population would make it unbearable to live there if such a massive construction were built. As an owner of a property in Katerina Vitale Street I wonder why there have been no consultation discussions. It seems that the residents of Xemxija Heights who would be affected by all of this have not even been considered.

I am dismayed, not only by the fear of the effect it will have on my investment but also the loss of my happiness in visiting my second home in Malta.

Nancy Kampschuur

XEMXIJA