Recently laid electricity and water services, together with skyrocketing land prices, have raised the spectre of development at rural Wardija.

Over the past weeks, one of the rural lanes in Wied Safsafa has been dug up, water and electricity connections have been passed, and the road was then covered in a layer of concrete.

A source who is familiar with the area said the shoddy works have disrupted the flow of water into the valley. Furthermore, some fields in the area were recently put up for sale at prices that do not reflect the value of agricultural land in an ODZ area. This has led to suspicion that something could be afoot, possibly a change in the area’s designation that would allow for development.

A source explained that the lane along the shoulder of Wied Safsafa, used to be a typical rural country lane. It had been in use for many years by farmers of the locality. It forms part of a natural valley watercourse that drains all the way to Xemxija Bay, and is characterized with arable agricultural land.

The surface of the old lane was porous and rainwater drained naturally to the old water culvert that ran alongside the lane on the side of the valley. This old water culvert, clearly marked on the 1968 Survey Sheets with the letters “Dr”, led runoff to flow downstream and replenish wells in the adjacent areas. This system of controlling runoff by means of the old culvert had worked well for more than 80 years and formed part of the storm-water collection system.

“Unfortunately, a layer of concrete has now been poured over the old country lane in full ODZ territory. Centuries-old Sejjiegh walls alongside the road have been bulldozed indiscriminately and pushed over the sides.  In the process the old water culvert has also been buried and obliterated.”

“An unsightly row of masonry ashlar blocks, totally alien to the rural landscape, has been laid along the edge of the new concrete road. These blocks prevent runoff from percolating the fields and wells on the lower slope by keeping the torrent on the concrete surface. Thus, rainwater runoff is now confined to the concrete surface to flow just towards a few outlets. When it reaches the end of the concrete surface it will rush out unrestrained into the natural valley, causing erosion and destroying everything in its path,” the source said.

At the same time as the road was covered in concrete, water and electricity supply services were laid, with connection points at regular intervals.

The source asked why this was necessary in a rural area where there are only agricultural plots along the road. “Such service take-offs are only found in locations where habitable dwellings occur.”

A search on the Planning Authority’s geoserver returns no applications for the recent development. The PA’s own website identifies the area as being Listed Natural Heritage and a Terrestrial Habitat.

Even the North West Local Plan, specifically Policy NWAG 01, singles out this Planning and Environmental requirement by stating the following:

“The protection of agricultural land from all types of inappropriate development will be safeguarded and only buildings, structures and uses essential to the needs of agriculture will be permitted and then only if it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of MEPA that they will not adversely affect water supplies, soil and landscape, and accord with all other policies within this Local Plan. Applications for development permission for agricultural related developments, which will result in the subdivision of land holdings, will not be permitted”

Yet, despite the policy that is currently in place, questions have arisen as to the recent development in the area.

Another source said there seem to be efforts underway to buy and sell land at very high prices, considering the status of the land. This is also happening in Bidnija. This has further reinforced the suspicion that some planning applications for the area could be in the pipeline and that these works were carried out as a precursor.

While planning policies fall under the responsibility of the Planning Authority, road surfacing works in rural areas are usually carried out by Infrastructure Malta.